Photocentric/Project Nexus
CAD rendering of 3D printed media contact device within a bioreactor
A consortium of UK industry and academia has announced the launch of a project exploring the development of sustainable 3D printing materials for bioprocessing applications.
The collaboration, named Project Nexus, is being led by £1.4 million in funding from Innovate UK’s Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation: Collaborative R&D programme and aims to cultivate new sustainable materials tailored for single-use bioprocessing equipment such as bioreactors.
Project partners include 3D printing company Photocentric; pharmaceuticals and life sciences equipment supplier Sartorius; AM-focused design consultancy Metamorphic; UK High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre CPI; and academic institutions, the University of Sheffield and Imperial College London.
According to a press release, Project Nexus aims to ‘pioneer the future of additive manufacturing of bioreactors at scale’ by leveraging AM’s design freedoms and offering a more sustainable alternative to single use bioreactors through greener material formulations. This is said to be achievable using new bio-based resins to produce thermosets that can be autoclaved for reuse. While Single-Use Technologies (SUTs) are said to produce only small levels of plastic waste annually, the project aims to create ‘enhanced circularity and end-of-life pathways’ while retaining the benefits of SUTs such as faster setup, flexible process configurations, and reductions in water, electricity, and caustic chemical use. Tony Jackson, Director of Formulation at CPI said that the project is “enabling a more sustainable future for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.”
Jeremy Pullin, Head of AM & Manufacturing Technology of Sartorius commented, “The goals at the heart of the Nexus project go beyond simply enabling us to unlock the applications of today. They also allow us to realize the future obligations of us all, through the development of sustainable material formulations. Sartorius is committed, excited and proud to work alongside an amazing consortium of partners to bring this vision to reality.”
The additive manufacturing element will come from Photocentric’s JENI, a modular LCD-driven 3D printing platform, which uses robotics to automate both printing and necessary post-processing steps for mass production volumes. The bioreactors will be tested for pharmaceutical R&D and point-of-care manufacturing, with potential reuse in industrial biotechnology for green chemical production. The project also aims to highlight the technical, economic, and environmental benefits of AM in reducing waste and enhancing efficiency through material circularity and flexibility. Project Nexus is set to deliver over the next 24 months.
Jose Casamayor Alarco, Technical Fellow at University of Sheffield AMRC said, “This collaborative initiative will be a significant step in making the biopharmaceutical sector more sustainable, ultimately advancing the UK’s net zero ambitions.”
