BMF subsidiary: Development of 3D biochips for pharmaceutical and cosmetic research

Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has founded the subsidiary BMF Biotechnology Inc., which develops high-precision, microfluidic 3D biochips for pharmaceutical and cosmetic research. The organ-on-a-chip platforms enable the reproduction of physiologically relevant tissue on a large scale, thus facilitating research into the effects of cosmetics and drugs and accelerating research processes.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, BMF Biotechnology Inc. is dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative organ-on-a-chip platforms that cultivate tissue in vitro on a large scale to accelerate the development of new drugs and cosmetics.

BMF develops innovative, unique high-precision micro-printing platforms used by product developers and engineers in fields such as medical devices, electronics, optics/photonics and life sciences where high resolution and demanding dimensional tolerances are required. In late 2022, BMF began expanding its business model beyond supplying the Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) platform and the parts it produces. BMF opened the San Diego Research Institute to develop innovative microfluidic biochips needed in drug discovery and cosmetic testing. The first phase of this project has produced encouraging results.

By faithfully replicating the physiological conditions in the human body, BMF Biotechnology’s BioChips provide a powerful platform for studying the biological mechanisms of health and disease, evaluating the safety and efficacy of drugs and cosmetics, and predicting patient responses. BMF BioChips feature an integrated “vascular” network of channels that enables in vivo-like exchange of nutrients and waste products and delivery of substances across the entire large tissue. This can lead to more precise test results and greater sensitivity to drugs compared to conventional 2D cell cultures and animal models.

Robust tissue models, such as tumor models to assess drug efficacy, kidney models to assess drug safety and skin models for cosmetic assessments, have been consistently developed. In addition, collaboration with global partners has led to the development of various other tissue models that help researchers better understand the biological mechanisms of health and disease, including liver and heart disease, lung cancer, cervical cancer, among others.

“Building on the success of proprietary innovations such as UltraThineer dental veneers, the formation of BMF Biotechnology Inc. represents a major leap forward in harnessing the potential of 3D BioChip technology,” commented Dr. Jennifer Sun, Chief Scientific Officer of BMF Biotechnology Inc. “Our technology and approach provide researchers with innovative tools. They can quickly translate scientific discoveries into tangible therapeutic solutions that improve patient outcomes.”

To fully utilize the power of BioChips, BMF Biotechnology is now seeking collaboration partners. The partner program offers a range of opportunities to develop and validate innovative devices and biological models together with partners. We welcome industry, research and academic institutions to approach us to explore collaboration opportunities.