3D Printing Used to Decorate Biodegradable KOFFINs that are Personalized for the Deceased

While the way we live is vastly different from the way we did 100, 50, and even 20 years ago, the way we say goodbye to loved ones when they’ve passed away is still pretty much the same. Funerals are not easy for a number of reasons, but the last thing on anyone’s mind should be the cost of these emotional events and ceremonies; unfortunately, that’s not often the case. According to SunLife, funeral costs have shot up over 70% in the last decade.

With this in mind, Koffin, a Liverpool startup founded by artist Gina Czarnecki in 2014, is working with business program LCR 4.0 and using Industry 4.0 technology – specifically 3D printing and advanced material testing – to help cut down on the cost of funerals with customizable, biodegradable eco-coffins.

“Funeral prices are increasing drastically, and people deserve the right to a personalised send-off that isn’t going to break the bank. Planning a funeral can be a difficult time, but we’ve found that having something tangible to take control of and make your own improves people’s wellbeing and peace of mind,” said Czarnecki.

“The work with LCR 4.0 has enabled us to test our design that creates a cost-effective alternative that emits less CO2 emissions than a natural plant.”

Together with brand consultant Clare Barry, Czarnecki set out to redesign the coffin – typically a narrow wooden box. But a KOFFIN, according to the startup’s website, is “a light, eco-friendly capsule made from bioplastic,” which is definitely different from the more traditional, pricey Victorian-style coffins we’re used to seeing.

“The way we currently bury or cremate our loved ones is poisoning the earth,” the Koffin website states.

“Besides… your funeral is your last hurrah, right?

“…So shouldn’t your coffin be as unique as you are?”

The 100% biodegradable KOFFINS were created to help people take back their rights to a personal, affordable funeral. They are made with a lignin-based biopolymer and don’t require any glues or metals to hold them together. They produce less ash residue than other coffins, are leak-proof without having to use wax linings, and will decompose in the earth just like natural tree wood. Additionally, the oval capsules can be completely personalized with different colors, hand-written messages, photographs, and a variety of attachable, 3D printed decorations.

During the development of the KOFFIN prototype, the startup was in need of expert technical support during testing. So Koffin turned to LCR 4.0, partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund, and its partners Sensor City and Liverpool John Moores University to test its inexpensive, sustainable prototype, and use 3D printing for added personalization.

“Koffin is unlike any other start-up that we’ve helped to date,” said Jaime Mora-Fernandez, LCR 4.0 product design engineer at Sensor City. “The work carried out illustrates how new technologies can help businesses in a wide variety of sectors transform the way they approach the design and manufacturing process.”

The LCR 4.0 team at Sensor City helped Koffin complete a finite element analysis (FEA) of the design to find the right material thickness to withhold sufficient pressure. This helps reduce material costs, which will trickle down to lower consumer costs. Then, the partners tested the prototype, and completed a report that concluded the material’s thickness would be robust enough for its purpose.


After four long years of development, the startup has officially gone into production with its first run of biodegradable, customizable, eco-friendly KOFFINs.

“Our involvement with the LCR 4.0 scheme has resulted in outputs being produced in a timely and efficient manner, using expert advice and linking disciplines seamlessly,” said Czarnecki.

Starting today, 20 of the KOFFINs, decorated through a national public call-out, will be displayed at the Oratory, next to the Anglican Cathedral, in Liverpool; some of them even bear some interesting 3D printed decorations. Soon, the startup will also launch a Kickstarter campaign in order to raise the necessary funds to take the KOFFINs to market.

 

This isn’t the first time that 3D printing has been utilized in the death care industry. We’ve seen 3D printed urns, 3D printed busts of the deceased, and even 3D printed jewelry made from the ashes of our loved ones. As 3D printing also comes into play often with sustainability efforts, the KOFFINs seem to be a perfect mix of life and death.

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Stratasys posts revenue of $162M for Q3 2018, adjusts guidance for full year

Leading 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys, headquartered in Rehovot, Israel, has announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2018. Headline revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, was $162 million, up 4% on the same quarter in 2017, which was $155.9 million. In light of this quarterly performance, and following the first nine […]

3D Printing News Briefs: October 31, 2018

Happy Halloween, fair readers! We’re giving you a treat today instead of a trick – our latest edition of 3D Printing News Briefs. First up, Materialise has completed a mammoth 3D printing project, and Australian manufacturing company C-Mac is embracing the technology for the first time. atum3D has revealed what new product it will be bringing to the upcoming formnext 2018. Finally, a group of French researchers compared powder bed fusion and binder jet 3D printing as possible methods for fabricating sand molds.

Materialise Unveils Life-Size 3D Printed Mammoth

The massive Mammoth of Lier, named for the Belgian city where it was discovered, lived during 20,000 BC, and has been on display at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels since 1869. But thanks to the hard work of Belgian 3D printing company Materialise, the woolly mammoth skeleton is now back home in Lier…a 3D printed version of it, anyway. Earlier this summer, a multidisciplinary team of Materialise engineers and production operators, paleontologists, and archaeologists began work on the mammoth 3D printing project, which is Materialise’s largest yet at 3.5 meters tall. Materialise optimized the 3D scans of each of the mammoth’s 320 bones in order to replicate its fossilized skeleton, then digitally reconstructed it and prepared each file for 3D printing.

“When I heard that the mammoth of Lier would be 3D-printed, I was amazed. 3D printing has already been used for reproducing missing bones, but here we were talking about an entire mammoth, and I think it’s the first time this has been achieved,” said Dr. Mietje Germonpré, paleontologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. “3D printing gave us the opportunity to create a new, more scientifically accurate reconstruction of the mammoth’s anatomy.”

Fittingly, Materialise used nine of its large-format Mammoth SLA 3D printers, the only machines it makes but does not sell, to complete all 1,260 hours of 3D printing. The company’s Design & Engineering team also created a modular carbon fiber structure that could support the skeleton from the interior. Now, the 3D printed replica of the mammoth is back in Lier, just in time for the doors to open at its new city museum.

C-Mac Embraces 3D Printing

Australian manufacturing company C-Mac Industries Cooperative Ltd, headquartered in Sydney, recognized that times were changing in the industry, and not exactly for the better. Between 2008 and 2013, the country lost one manufacturing job every 19 minutes, and C-Mac realized that it needed to evolve. So in the middle of 2017, all of the staff members agreed to become business owners, and C-Mac went from being a family-owned company to a more socially responsible workers’ co-operative. In order to sustain and keep growing its business, C-Mac spent a ten-month period adopting 3D printing and creating parts for over ten different industries, as the technology is rapidly becoming a preferred approach to developing product models.

“You have to embrace change,” said C-Mac’s General Manager Steve Grlyak. ” We have seen so many manufacturing companies in Sydney go bankrupt because they are not willing to change or are slow to adapt to change or have over capitalised on the wrong equipment.

“It is only the beginning. We are also looking into having a 3d printing scholarship award to provide help to students in Australia along with striving to build a bridge between knowledge and practice. The future is upon us.”

It’s not easy to adopt a new type of thinking, but C-Mac knew that 3D printing was the future of the industry and, with the help of its 50 years of experience in manufacturing, stepped up to the plate.

atum3D Introducing Latest Software at formnext

At the upcoming formnext 2018, open platform DLP 3D printing specialist atum3D will be introducing its new, redesigned Operator Station software, which comes with proprietary MAGS AI technology. Thanks to an intuitive user interface and touchscreen support, the software makes it easy for users to prepare print jobs for the company’s DLP Station 3D printers. Operator Station lets users duplicate parts, or fill available build volume, with the click of a button, and its MAGS AI will automatically adjust a part’s orientation and generate the necessary supports.

“We’re very excited to be back in Frankfurt for the third time in a row to show our most recent developments. This year, the main spotlight is on software, one of the three pillars on which atum3D was built, together with hardware engineering and resin chemicals. When creating the all new Operator Station software from the ground up, we took special care to incorporate our user’s feedback and requests. That’s why we created a highly intuitive interface that takes you from part import to final print job in just a few clicks. The intelligent approach of our proprietary MAGS AI technology, which is the abbreviation of Mark, Adjust & Generate Supports, plays an essential role,” said Tristram Budel, CEO at atum3D.

““MAGS AI now analyses the part’s shape, keeps my selection free of supports, suggests the optimal orientation and adds the necessary supports. That’s about as fast and easy as it gets!”

At formnext, atum3D will also be introducing its new Industry Excellence Pack for material scientists and research institutes, as well as an open resin platform for the DLP Station 5, which will be showcased at the event. Visit atum3D at booth 3.1-B19 to see its new Operator Station with MAGS AI and the DLP Station 5.

Comparing Powder Bed Fusion and Binder Jetting for Sand Molds

A trio of researchers from Centrale Nantes and École Normale Supérieure de Rennes in France recently published a paper, titled “A review on the additive manufacturing of sand molds by binder jetting and selective laser sintering,” that analyzes the current techniques of the casting industry for using 3D printed sand molds. Specifically, they looked at SLS and binder jet 3D printing. In the paper, the researchers analyzed patents, case studies, and scientific articles, as there is limited data about 3D printed sand molds in other studies. The research team got together because there’s a lack of resources and interest in 3D printing sand molds, and they wanted to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the topic. The paper highlighted the current gaps in the field, as well as proposed some key perspectives for possible social implications.

“The review investigates new factors and methods for mold design, looking at mechanical properties and cost analysis as influenced by material selection, thermal characteristics, topological optimization and manufacturing procedure,” the researchers state in the paper. “Findings in this study suggest that this topic lacks vigorous scientific research and that the case studies by manufacturers thus far are not useful.”

Co-authors of the paper are Tugdual Amaury Le NéelPascal Mognol, and Jean-Yves Hascoët.

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Avi Reichental backed EverZinc Digital seeks 3D printing applications

The EverZinc team and Avi Reichental (middle right). Photo via EverZinc/EverZinc DigitalSpecialty zinc materials provider EverZinc, headquartered in Liège, Belgium, has launched a new “digital transformation arm” that seeks to integrate 3D printing and other cutting edge technologies into its supply chain. Titled “EverZinc Digital” this branch of the company has been launched in collaboration with XponentialWorks, the venture investment, corporate advisory, and product development company of Avi Reichental, […]

Freelancer and Department of Energy 3D printing challenge open for submissions

A Big Area Additive Manufacturing Machine (BAAM) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, one of DoE's prime facilities. Image via the U.S Department of EnergyFreelancer.com, a Sydney-based crowdsourcing website, has partnered with the U.S Department of Energy (DoE) to launch the Manufacturing Innovator Challenge. The Challenge will explore energy-efficient 3D printing solutions. Sarah Tang, Freelancer’s Vice President, Enterprise, said “… it is now the U.S. Department of Energy’s turn to tap into the millions of talented freelancers in the […]

3D Printing News Briefs: October 27, 2018

We’re starting off with some news about products being displayed at the upcoming formnext in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to business and research news. Clariant and Xaar have both revealed what they will be showcasing at formnext 2018 in Munich next month. Aurora Metals has announced a new partnership, while Lockheed Martin is the first organization to have an additive manufacturing facility certified to UL 3400 for AM hazards. Finally, America Makes has announced its next Directed Project Opportunity.

Clariant Presenting Industrial 3D Printing Materials at formnext

This year’s formnext is coming up in just a few short weeks, and companies all over the world are announcing what products they’ll be bringing with them to the show. Specialty chemicals company Clariant will be showcasing its 3D printing materials and solutions for intelligent industrial manufacturing at the event this year, including featured materials like polyamides for small lot production, customer-tailored colorant and additive guidance, and high impact strength materials that offer electrostatic discharge protection for manufacturing aids.

“OEMs require that 3D printing materials perform at the same level as their injection molded counterparts. This was the significant factor in achieving the acceptance to allow product production with our materials and will continue to be,” said Joanna Marguier, Senior Manager of R&D for Clariant’s 3D printing business. “From the inception of our 3D printing business, Clariant has focused on providing superior 3D printing materials that achieve the customer’s requirements for their specific application. We work closely with them to tailor solutions to meet their needs.”

Marguier will also be outlining the company’s success with flame retardants in a technical presentation at formnext on November 15. formnext runs November 13-16, and you can visit the Clariant team at booth 3.1-H40 in Hall 3.1 at the Messe Frankfurt.

Xaar Showcasing Latest Inkjet Printhead Technology at formnext

Speaking of formnext, digital inkjet technology Xaar will be exhibiting the latest in inkjet printhead technology at the show. Visitors can learn how the company’s award-winning High Laydown (HL) technology, which allows for the jetting of 3D fluids with high viscosity (at least 55cP), coupled with its partnerships with other industry leaders, can help its customers get ahead in volume 3D printing. Xaar will also be displaying samples that were produced with high viscosity photoresins from BASF 3D Printing Solutions

“The formnext show is a major global event for the 3D Printing sector and we are excited to be exhibiting our complete printhead portfolio and HL Technology for volume 3D production. We pride ourselves on providing ongoing support to all our customers’ projects – from early fluid evaluation through to commercialisation. That’s why we are welcoming manufacturers and integrators to visit the Xaar stand and discover how our printhead technology can help them introduce new printers quickly and cost-effectively, thereby delivering a true competitive edge and real value to 3D end- users,” said Simon Kirk, Senior Product Manager at Xaar.

You can visit Xaar at formnext at booth A78 in Hall 3.1

Aurora Labs Partnering with Fortescue Metals Group

Aurora Labs’ managing director David Budge. [Image: Ross Swanborough]

Australian metal 3D printing Aurora Labs has signed a preliminary non-binding term sheet agreement with fellow Australian company Fortescue Metals Group. The agreement comprises an Industry Partner Program, and Aurora Labs will work with Fortescue to demonstrate the potential for application of its Rapid Manufacturing Technology (RMT) in the mining industry. The terms of the agreement are for an initial 12 months and may be extended by mutual agreement, and Aurora believes that the venture could even progress further to developing technology together in order to lower operation and production costs in the mining industry.

“We’re very excited to sign a preliminary agreement with Fortescue, and pursue the opportunity to apply Aurora’s Rapid Manufacturing Technology to the mining sector,” said David Budge, Aurora Labs’ Managing Director. “Fortescue are an ideal industry partner for us and they are at the forefront of technological advancements in the mining sector.”

Lockheed Martin Certified UL 3400

Top global safety science company UL has announced that it has certified the first additive manufacturing facility to UL 3400, a set of safety guidelines published last year that address the hazards associated with AM facilities. UL issued this prestigious certification to Lockheed Martin, and its 6,775-square-foot Additive Design and Manufacturing Center in Sunnyvale, California. UL 3400, also called the Outline of Investigation for Additive Manufacturing Facility Safety Management, considers the three layers of safety: material, equipment, and the facility itself, and references applicable standards from OSHA, ASTM International, the National Fire Protection Association, and others. UL and its 3400 guideline cover the potential hazards and risk mitigation measures that are required for these facilities to function safely.

“Employers, employees, local regulators as well as insurance companies who have to underwrite additive manufacturing facilities, were not fully aware of the inherent material and technology risks. Safety is designed rather than built. Not a single standard or statutory guideline was available that specifically focused on additive manufacturing. Other standards and guidelines were developed for conventional manufacturing processes,” explained Balu V. Nair, UL’s Additive Manufacturing Lead Development Engineer and an important player in developing UL 3400. “We decided to address this industry need by developing a set of guidelines with exclusive focus on additive manufacturing.”

America Makes Announces Next Directed Project Opportunity

This week, America Makes announced its next Directed Project Opportunity, available for its members for AM applied (R&D) projects for Advanced Tools for Rapid Qualification (ATRQ). The goal is to promote and accelerate the development and deployment of cost effective, energy-efficient 3D printing technologies in  order to meet defense and/or commercial needs. Approximately $3.9 million should be made available to fund multiple awards, with at least $1.95 million in matching funds from the winning project teams. The technical requirements of the ATRQ Directed Project Opportunity relate to the America Makes Technology Roadmap, as well as the Integrated DoD AM Roadmap.

“For our partners at the DoD, the anticipated outcomes of the America Makes ATRQ Directed Project Opportunity are of the utmost importance. The DoD’s need for rapid qualification and certification of AM processes and materials is great,” said Rob Gorham, the Executive Director of America Makes. “These projects will be instrumental in resolving the current deterrents that are hindering the wider adoption and deployment of AM technologies within the DoD and its supply chain.”

Technical topics for the ATRQ Directed Project Opportunity are Surrogate Damage Generation for LPBF Defects, Degradation of Polymer Parts Deployed in Harsh Environments, and Corrosion Mechanisms of LPBF Materials. All Project Concept forms are due no later than 5 pm EST on Wednesday, November 28, 2018. To see all of the technical project requirements, as well as other information about the Directed Project Opportunity like non-disclosure agreements, eligibility, and the proposal process, check out the America Makes website.

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Aurora Labs partners with Fortescue Metals Group to explore 3D printing in the mining industry

The RMP1 metal additive manufacturing process. Clip via Aurora Labs.Aurora Labs, an Australian metal 3D printer manufacturer, has announced a non-binding 12 month agreement with the subsidiaries of Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), iron ore developers based in East Perth, to explore the applications of additive manufacturing in mining. “We’re excited to sign a preliminary agreement with Fortescue and pursue the opportunity to apply Aurora’s […]

Carpenter Technology Corporation Acquires LPW Technology

United Kingdom company LPW Technology is a provider of advanced metal powders and powder lifecycle management solutions, and today the company announced that it has been acquired by Carpenter Technology Corporation. Carpenter is a leader in high-performance specialty alloy-based materials and process solutions for critical applications in a variety of markets, including aerospace, defense, transportation, energy, industrial, medical and consumer electronics. The company has been around since 1889 and has grown with the times, specializing in premium specialty alloys such as titanium, nickel, and cobalt, as well as alloys specifically engineered for additive manufacturing.

“Our aggressive development in key aspects of Additive Manufacturing (AM) demonstrates our commitment to build on our industry-leading position in this space,” said Tony R. Thene, Carpenter’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The acquisition combines LPW’s metal powder lifecycle management technology and processes with our technical expertise in producing highly engineered metal powders and additively manufactured components.”

Lifecycle management technology is critical in additive manufacturing; it enables manufacturers to understand how powder will behave before, during and after the additive manufacturing process. The importance of this understanding cannot be overstated; the behavior of the powder has a tremendous effect on the final outcome of the part. Metal powder can be a tricky thing to work with, and companies like LPW have proven to be invaluable by providing services that offer consistency and reduce the risk inherent in additive manufacturing.

“LPW’s innovative platforms and enabling technology further solidify Carpenter’s position as a preferred provider of end-to-end next generation Additive Manufacturing solutions,” said Phil Carroll, LPW’s founder. “I’m extremely proud of the accomplishments we’ve achieved at LPW and I’m excited to be part of Carpenter’s continued growth and leadership in AM.”

LPW employs approximately 80 people and is based in Widnes, Cheshire with additional processing operations near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company has customers around the world.

Carpenter Technology Corporation recently expanded its additive manufacturing capabilities to provide a complete “powder to part” solution to accelerate materials innovation, offer rapid prototyping, and streamline parts production. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, the company has grown to have several offices across the United States, Europe and Asia. Carpenter has two operating segments: Specialty Alloys Operations and Performance Engineered Products, and offers advanced testing capabilities including materials testing, chemical analysis and nondestructive testing.

Carpenter acquired LPW for approximately $81 million. Carpenter has been busy lately, acquiring titanium powders producer Puris as well as CalRAM, a leader in electron beam and laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing services. Carpenter also constructed an Emerging Technology Center in Athens, Alabama, signifying its commitment to advancing additive manufacturing and other technologies.

LPW is currently attending the Fall 2018 Additive Manufacturing Consortium (AMC) meeting, which is taking place in Huntersville, North Carolina on October 24th and October 25th.

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ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence Welcomes Strategic Partner NAMIC, Announces First Round of Projects

About a year ago, international standards organization ASTM International announced that it would be setting up an Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, and began enlisting partners to help launch the center. The most recent partner to be added to the roster is Singapore’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), which will coordinate the center’s R&D and related activities in Asia as well as invest up to $1.5 million in the first two years.

NAMIC’s Managing Director, Dr. Ho Chaw Sing, and ASTM International’s Director of Global Additive Manufacturing Programs, Dr. Mohsen Seifi, signed a Strategic Partnership Statement last week at NAMIC’s Global Additive Manufacturing Summit.

“We are excited to enter into this partnership with ASTM International,” said Dr. Sing. “We look forward to catalyzing crucial research that helps establish technical standards, guiding additive manufacturing into the future for SingaporeAsia, and the entire world. Our investment into the center’s regional-based activities will support implementation of additive manufacturing technologies globally.”

NAMIC is the first organization in Asia to join with ASTM, and its role will be to support R&D and standardization activities that will help drive commercialization of additive manufacturing technologies in sectors such as aerospace, maritime and offshore, logistics and fabrication.

“We are thrilled that NAMIC will be leading the Asia-Pacific’s efforts to drive advancements and innovation in additive manufacturing on a global scale,” said Dr. Seifi. “NAMIC’s leadership in aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul, maritime and offshore, and other industries will complement the center’s capabilities, and we are pleased to welcome additional investments in this world-class partnership which will accelerate standardization in this fast-growing field.”

The center’s founding partners are Auburn University, NASA, manufacturing technology innovator EWI, and the UK-based Manufacturing Technology Centre. NAMIC and the US National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) are the first two strategic partners.

Recently, ASTM International also announced its first round of funding to support research that will help advance the development of standards for additive manufacturing. The investment of $300,000 as well as in-kind contributions will help the Center of Excellence partners to address technical information needs.

“We are very fortunate to work with such renowned organizations to leverage their expertise towards standardization in additive manufacturing,” said Oerlikon engineer Matthew Donovan, who chairs the research and innovation group under ASTM International’s additive manufacturing technology committee (F42).

The initial round of projects approved by the committee involve four areas: feedstock, process qualification, post-processing and testing. The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) will research the development of quality assessment standards for metal powders used for additive manufacturing. The research will contribute to a standard guide for evaluating powder quality and recyclability.

NASA will work on developing standard procedures, metrics and requirements to help qualify machines and processes for laser bed fusion, while EWI will research how various surface finishing techniques for additively manufactured products impact performance and structural integrity. This will help standardize surface quality and measurement metrics.

Auburn University will research mechanical testing issues in additive manufacturing to better understand the relationships between the properties of test specimens and the performance of parts. This will contribute to a standard that provides guidance on designing test samples that best represent additively manufactured components. Meanwhile, NIAR will focus on mechanical testing issues surrounding polymers used in 3D printing.

You can learn more about the Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence here.

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CollPlant and United Therapeutics Corporation Enter into Licensing Agreement for 3D Bioprinted Lungs

This week, CollPlant and United Therapeutics Corporation announced that they have entered into a licensing, development, and commercialization agreement together for the purposes of 3D bioprinted lung transplants. This partnership will combine United Therapeutics’ organ manufacturing and regenerative medicine capabilities with CollPlant’s BioInk and proprietary recombinant human collagen (rhCollagen) technology.

“We strongly believe that our proprietary and proven rhCollagen is the finest building block for regenerative medicine scaffolds available today, and will play a critical role in the organ manufacturing process,” said CollPlant CEO Yehiel Tal. “As a pioneer in the field, United Therapeutics is the perfect partner for us. This strategic agreement is a major achievement for CollPlant as it aligns us with a global leader, validates our technology and creates value for our shareholders. We are honored to have established this important collaboration with United Therapeutics and look forward to working together to bring lifesaving organs to humanity.”

Under the terms of the agreement for 3D bioprinting solid-organ scaffolds for human transplants, which United Therapeutics is more than familiar with, CollPlant granted an exclusive license for its technology to United Therapeutics, through its wholly owned organ manufacturing and transplantation-focused subsidiary Lung Biotechnology PBC, for the production and use of its rhCollagen-based BioInk for 3D bioprinted lung transplants. The subsidiary itself is the first public benefit corporation subsidiary of a public biotechnology or pharmaceutical company and works to address the national shortage of transplantable lungs and other organs.

Over the next few years, CollPlant will manufacture and supply BioInk in order to meet the development process demand. In addition, it will provide technical support to United Therapeutics while it sets up a facility in the US to manufacture both BioInk and rhCollagen.

Martine Rothblatt, PhD, Chairman and CEO of United Therapeutics, said, “We are excited to work with CollPlant’s extraordinary Israeli technology to transform the tobacco plant that is so associated with lung disease into a collagen-expressing plant that will be essential to the production of an unlimited number of transplantable lungs.”

The agreement, in addition to its focus on lung manufacturing, will also grant United Therapeutics an option, in its sole discretion, to expand the field of its CollPlant license in order to add up to three additional organs.

According to the agreement’s financial terms, once it’s effective, CollPlant will receive an initial upfront payment of $5 million. Then, once certain operational and regulatory milestones related to the development of 3D bioprinted lungs are reached, the company will receive milestone payments of up to $15 million.

Option exercise payments of up to $9 million are also provided for in the licensing agreement, as well as additional developmental milestone payments of up to $15 million…if United Therapeutics decides to develop additional manufactured organs using CollPlant’s technology, that is. Additionally, CollPlant will also be entitled to receive reimbursement for certain costs, as well as royalties on sales of commercialized products that are covered by patents licensed by the company itself.

The effectiveness of the licensing agreement between CollPlant and United Therapeutics is subject to a few closing conditions, which include receipt of approval by the Israel Innovation Authority, which was formerly the Office of Chief Scientist.

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