Rokit Healthcare Unveils Decellularization and Recellularization Organ Regeneration Device

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] Rokit Healthcare, a specialist in organ regeneration, announced on the 24th that it will introduce the decellularization and recellularization equipment ‘Dr. INVIVO Niche Regen’ for regenerating organs such as kidneys, liver, and heart.

The Dr. INVIVO Niche Regen equipment was developed with consultation from the faculty of Wake Forest School of Medicine in the United States. It is expected to overcome the limitations of existing organ regeneration methods using 3D bioprinters or organoids and accelerate the realization of organ regeneration.

According to market research firm Global Market Insights, the global artificial organ market is growing at an average annual rate of 8.9%, increasing from $17.1 billion in 2018 to $30.9 billion by 2025.

A Rokit Healthcare official stated, "Relatively simple organs classified as stages 1 to 2 of organ regeneration could be productized using 3D and 4D printing technologies," adding, "The technical limitations of complex organs with stages 3 to 4 structures have also been overcome through decellularization and recellularization technology."

Decellularization and recellularization technology regenerates organs by preserving the organ’s tissue structure while inserting human cells into it. By decellularizing the organ, it retains the tissue structure that 3D bioprinting or organoid technologies cannot replicate. The decellularized organ retains only the extracellular matrix (ECM) that forms the tissue scaffold, with the original cells and DNA removed, which prevents immune reactions. When the patient’s cells are implanted into the decellularized organ and engrafted, customized organ regeneration without immune rejection for the patient is achieved.

Rokit Healthcare has continuously developed equipment to reduce the time, manpower, and costs required for kidney regeneration research. A company representative said, "Decellularization and recellularization of organs take a considerable amount of time," adding, "Researchers face difficulties and inconveniences as they must be present daily for solution replacement and cell culture." They further noted, "During this process, exposure to external environments can cause reproducibility issues, leading to failures."

To address these problems, Rokit Healthcare developed the Dr. INVIVO Niche Regen. It automates the processes required for decellularization and recellularization. When researchers input a pre-designed protocol into the equipment, it operates accordingly, and researchers only need to monitor it. The equipment is equipped with a camera, enabling remote monitoring as well.

The organ regeneration equipment represents a mid- to long-term technology roadmap, signifying progression from skin to cartilage and ultimately to complete organ regeneration.

Yoo Seok-hwan, CEO of Rokit Healthcare, said, "With 12 million people dying annually from chronic kidney disease, the decellularization and recellularization technologies applied in the kidney failure patch technology and Dr. INVIVO Niche Regen equipment are gaining attention." He added, "We will grow into a global organ regeneration specialist company through the development and research of various technologies that can improve patients’ quality of life."

Rokit Healthcare, led by CEO Yoo Seok-hwan, is a global hyper-personalized organ regeneration specialist company. Established in 2012, it develops various medical platforms based on 3D bioprinting technology. It has conducted clinical trials in over 20 countries worldwide and signed distribution agreements in more than 40 countries. Recently, interest in Rokit Healthcare’s regenerative equipment has increased, including supplying Dr. INVIVO 4D6 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laboratories.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.