CELLINK announces strategic partnership with Carcinotech to advance 3D-bioprinting technology for cancer research

CELLINK, a leading provider of innovative biomaterials and technologies for 3D bioprinting applications in the life sciences, announced a collaboration with Carcinotech, which focuses on the production of cancer research models for drug testing, cancer drug discovery and the study of cancer biology. This collaboration seeks to use CELLINK’s patent-pending bioinks to help Carcinotech develop its proprietary 3D-bioprinted cancer research model that will mimic cancer systems found in the human body on a micro-size chip.

One of the biggest challenges in cancer drug testing and treatments today is that 85% of drugs in clinical trials fail to reach the market. Clinical trial activity remains a high-risk endeavor as the oncology composite success rate fell to 8% in 2018 from 11.7% in 2017 (Global Oncology Trends 2019, IQVIA). The major reason for this failure rate is the lack of good research and testing models. Animal models currently used for pre-clinical drug testing are not a good representation of human cancer systems, and there has been a 14% reduction in the use of animal models from 2011 as pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations (CROs) look for better drug testing models for cancer. Carcinotech hopes to solve this problem with the development of a micro-size chip that mimics cancer systems in the human body. The collaboration will leverage CELLINK’s innovative and patent-pending bioink, Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) and Laminin based Bioinks, which enable human cells to grow and thrive as they would in the human body.

Dr. Itedale Namro Redwan, CSO, CELLINK

“It is an honor to announce this partnership with Carcinotech. This collaboration will extend the pharmaceutical development segment for CELLINK and advance the tools used for future cancer drug development processes.”

Ishani Malhotra, Managing Director, Carcinotech

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Carcinotech to collaborate with CELLINK. The expertise and knowledge CELLINK has on bioprinting will help us advance towards commercialization. Our vision is to be at the forefront of accelerating cancer drug testing and discovery through our propriety products and services, and this collaboration will play a great role in fulfilling that vision.”

The developed technology that will be used within the project was partially supported by an H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2 grant with project number 829846 from the European Union.