About

PhosPrint is a Laser BioPrinter developer founded by globally renowned scientists in the field of laser printing who aspire to revolutionize Tissue Regeneration, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology markets. Our Company Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder Dr I. Zergioti is the first scientist worldwide to apply Laser Induced Forward Transfer for solid phase DNA printing. The company is a spinoff of the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) and is operating as a Private Company registered in Greece.

Solution & Product

3D bioprinting is a great invention of our generation, and one that will ultimately transform healthcare in the near future. Laser bioprinting can be utilized for the creation of tissues and organs suitable for regeneration and drug screening, with the ultimate objective to cure previously untreatable medical conditions. PhosPrint developed an innovative dual beam laser bioprinting device and a process which comprises novel surgical protocols for on-site laser bioprinting of autologous urothelial cells. The Dual Beam bioprinter, with a dual wavelength, prints and post-processes bio-inks on demand and as a result, we can print highly cells with viability and at high speed (~1 million cells per sec), and succeed printing in vivo with efficient immobilization of the cells on the receiver substrate. The first application of our technology is Bladder reconstruction, following cystectomy to treat bladder cancer. Bladder augmentation or replacement remains a challenge because enterocystoplasty, the gold standard method for almost a century, is accompanied by severe complications in the vast majority of cases. To address this issue, we aimed to develop a new method that could provide a fully functional bladder composite devoid of side effects.

Innovation & Scalability

We have developed the first technology capable of repairing/generating de-novo human tissue during surgery, starting with cystoplasty. To date, bioprinting has not yet been incorporated in the day-to-day operations of surgery units. This gap is what PhosPrint identified as a major opportunity. The proposed approach addresses the need of surgeons for advanced regenerative medicine tools for tissue engineering and repair. The initial bladder application is highly promising as also indicated in the LOIs from KOLs and prospective customers (see attachment). D-LIB protocol comprises procedures for cell isolation and expansion under GMP conditions from autologous biopsies, cell expansion in-vitro, and cell printing in-vivo. It is a completely new technique in the sector that avoids the dangers of conventional neobladder treatments that rely on intestinal epithelium. We plan to invest in an in-house assembly, since D-LIB manufacturing uses scalable methods, which can be automated with limited investments. We will also establish GMP laboratory agreements with key hospitals in EU countries. The selection of sites will be based upon patient turnover following EMA approval.

Traction & achievements

Company incorporation (February 1, 2019). PhosPrint received the Seal of Excellence on the 28/03/2019 for its participation in the SME instrument phase 1 call of H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1) of 13 February 2019 in the area of EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020. IP Registration support received from the "Grant Program for the Registration of Patent Rights" from the Bodosakis, A.G. Leventis, Ioannis S. Latsis and Onassis Foundations. Winner of IPA4SME program for consultation services on IP protection Winner of an accelerator program from the Proof-of-Concept Patras/ Participation in the European Funded Project “Tumor-LN-oC” under the H2020 NMBP-23-2020 call, that started in May 2021. Participation in the European Funded Project “UroPrint” under the H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020 call, that started in September 2021. Participation in the European Funded Project 101093150 — LIBRA — HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01, that started in January 2023. Recipient of the EIC Accelerator Grant First Grant (the first Greek startup to receive it to-date) for the "EIC Accelerator 190195672 – Laser bioprinting device and in vivo applications" proposal that will start on May 1st 2023.

Team & Why Us

Dr. Ioanna Zergioti, Co-founder and CEO, responsible for General Management and Scientific matters. She was the first scientist worldwide who applied Laser Induced Forward Transfer for solid phase DNA printing and she continued to perform pioneer work on the laser microprinting of biomaterials and organic electronics.
Dr. Apostolos Klinakis Co-founder and Biomedical Expert, responsible for all Biological Applications. He has a strong, 25-year background on cancer biology, mouse genetics, modelling of human disease in mice, and stem cell biology.
Maria Pallidou, Co-founder and CFO, responsible for financial matters of the company as well as Business development issues. She holds an MBA from McGill University, and has a career spanning nearly 30 years, primarily in Corporate Finance having served in the positions of Country CFO and Regional Finance Director in Greece and the EMEA Region primarily in the Health Care industry.
Our team has the necessary technical and scientific expertise to turn an innovative idea into a new solution that will enable medical professionals to address challenging health issues and improve quality of life for thousands of patients.

Funding Needs

We require funding of €800k until the end of 2024 to complement the EIC Grant of €2mm for the completion of the first part of our project with the completion of Phase I trials.