SAN DIEGO – Precision micro-printing provider Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has launched San Diego-based BMF Biotechnology Inc., a spinout dedicated to making specialized chips through cultivated large-scale tissues in vitro, helping accelerate new drug and cosmetic development.

“BMF Biotechnology’s BioChips allow scientists to grow human-like tissues in a lab setting and because these chips mimic how substances would be processed inside the body, scientists can use them to test drugs and cosmetic products,” BMF Biotechnology Chief Scientific Officer Jennifer Sun told the Business Journal.

“These microfluidic chips are an organ-on-a-chip platform, which can replicate the physiological conditions found in the human body by controlling the flow of small amounts of fluid through micro-size channels.”

Founded in 2016, BMF says it supports more than 2,000 customers globally with offices in Boston, China, Japan and now in San Diego.

“BMF has raised over $80M in investment funding, including $24M in 2023,” added Sun. “We have over 250 employees worldwide with global revenue growth exceeding 30% in 2023.”

Wanting to be housed in San Diego’s vibrant biotech ecosystem, the company’s San Diego Research Institute was born in 2022. The newly launched biotech division will operate out of Carroll Canyon with ten or so employees to start.

Preliminary feedback has yielded promising results, says BMF.

“Specifically, significant progress has been made in terms of developing functional prototypes of the BMF Biotechnology’s BioChip, validating their efficacy in replicating human tissue models accurately,” shared Sun. “Furthermore, preliminary tests have shown encouraging outcomes of disease modeling and validating human drug responses.”

BMF is entering an arena of competitors like MIMETAS and InSphero – working to commercialize organ-on-a-chip technology. Sun says its product stands apart.

“Our BioChip platform offers distinctive features, including a micro-channel network designed to mimic blood vessels with micron level three dimensional features. This network ensures efficient nutrient delivery and waste removal throughout the chip, enabling the comprehensive replication of human tissues on a large scale.”

Hybrid Printing Solution

In recent years, micro molding and 3D printing innovations have swept the micro-manufacturing world, advancing how production companies do business.

New England-based BMF’s core tech enables highly precise, micro-scale 3D printing across industries like healthcare, life sciences, electronics and machining.

“3D printing has often been known for its ability to rapidly iterate on product design, but this same benefit can also be applied to developing custom, high-precision solutions that advance research in other ways – such as through pharmaceutical development,” said Sun. Now the industry is trending toward miniaturization. “As products and technology get smaller, the connective parts become micro and more intricate. There is an urgent need for highly precise and accurate manufacturing methods that allow engineers and product designers to consistently create small-scale parts with the precision, resolution and accuracy needed to move industries forward.”

This month, BMF announced what it calls the industry’s first line of hybrid printing solutions for micro-scale and ultra high-resolution applications that allow the user to print two resolutions within a single layer or in different layers.

“Our driving motivation for innovation has been to offer new platforms that can help realize high-value applications for 3D printing,” said BMF CEO-Global John Kawola. “Increasingly, we have been pushed by our customers to bring our technology to applications where higher precision and tighter tolerances would result in an overall increase in quality and performance, regardless of part size.”

It comes after another big win for the company. Last year it launched what it deems the world’s thinnest cosmetic dental veneer, UltraThineer™. This April, BMF secured FDA 510(k) clearance on the material.

“As we think about the future for BMF Biotechnology, we anticipate expanding our product portfolio to address a wider range of therapeutic areas and applications, revolutionizing the way drugs are developed and tested,” Sun added. “Our goal is to be a globally recognized leader in organ-on-a-chip technology, driving transformative advancements in drug discovery, cosmetic development, toxicity testing, and personalized medicine to improve human health and safety.”

Boston Micro Fabrication
FOUNDED: 2016 in Boston, San Diego Research Institute in 2022
CEO: John Kawola
LOCAL DIVISION HQ: San Diego
EMPLOYEES: 10 in San Diego; 200+ globally
BUSINESS: biotech
CAPITAL RAISED: $80 million
WEBSITE: bmf3d.com
CONTACT: info@bmf3d.com
NOTABLE: BMF was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Fast 50” companies, an annual honor recognizing the 50 fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts.