PARIS — January 24, 2018 — Gecko Biomedical has been granted a total of 6 million euros in funding under the Investments for the Future programme (PIA) for its project proposal entitled “PIAVE” [Projets Industriels d’Avenir (Promising Industrial Projects)], which is piloted by the General Secretariate for Investment (SGPI) and operated by Bpifrance. This funding is a contribution towards the industrialization and development of innovative solutions in the area of tissue reconstruction, and the peripheral nerve in particular.
Gecko is a medical device company developing an exclusive platform of polymers allowing for tissue reconstruction. These synthetic polymers, which are biocompatible, bioresorbable, and activated by a specific type of light, can be applied onto internal tissues during surgical procedures — acting like an adhesive, a barrier or a filler product, depending on the type of surgery. They are also 3D-printable, allowing for the production of flexible, bioresorbable and very high-resolution implants.
This funding will provide support for the industrialization of Gecko’s polymers platform, as well as for the development of a new, innovative program that will enable the reconstruction of peripheral nerves, without sutures, using 3D-printed micro-conducts secured by one of the company’s exclusive adhesives.
A 1,150-square-meter (m2) manufacturing site, powered by 100-percent green electricity, is currently under construction in Roncq and will feature four clean rooms (totaling 300 m2) and an analytical laboratory extending over 140 m2.
Christophe Bancel, CEO, Gecko Biomedical, said: “This funding will allow us to speed up our industrialization process and equip ourselves with a globally unique manufacturing site. Cutting-edge processes will be performed on this site to produce all our liquid polymers in individual, sterile conditions, ready for use by surgeons. We also intend to speed up a second phase in our strategy through the industrial and clinical development of our 3D printing platform for flexible, bioresorbable and high-resolution implants, by leveraging our polymers as a biomedical resin, as well as by optimising state-of-the-art 3D printing techniques”.
Marie Zwarg, the area leader for Healthcare within the management team for Bpifrance’s Industrial Sectors, added that: “Bpifrance has supported Gecko Biomedical since its creation. We are delighted to contribute to furthering the development of its top-level technological platform with multiple applications, while also contributing to its industrialization in France”.
Posted January 24, 2018
Source: Gecko Biomedical
