The market for in vitro fertilization (IVF), is set to benefit from a novel material for 2PP3D printing. UpFlow, an Austrian photopolymerizing product, is able to 3D print micro-environments quickly and precisely for a new type dynamic cell culture. Fertilis Pty Ltd in Australia developed this product. It provides embryos with a more controlled environment and is less volatile than other products on the market. Together with UpNano’s NanoOne 2PP 3D printer, this allows for a 30 – 40% reduction of implantation cycles commonly required to get pregnant – saving patients’ emotional and financial pain.
IVF is a stressful procedure for embryos. It is important to ensure that they are safe during repeated changes in the pre-implantation period. Not only does the exposure to changing conditions cause significant stress, but it also increases the risk of failure – making repeated IVF cycles necessary. Fertilis patented a unique environment that allows for embryos to grow and develop between fertilization and implantation. This was done in an effort to decrease stress and improve IVF success rates. This first-of-its-kind 3D printed micro-device incorporates features of 0.05mm in diameter and allows to precisely monitor and control the culturing process of the fertilized egg – eliminating the need for IVF practitioners to move cells between Petri dishes.
These minuscule features – channels with a diameter smaller than a human hair – of course, proved challenging to manufacture. “UpFlow offers a lower viscosity than any other 2PP-material with comparable biocompatibility. This allows for a far superior post-production processing, especially the flushing of the very fine channels in order to remove unpolymerized material and ensure reproducibility of structural elements,” explained Denise Hirner, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of UpNano, when talking about the company’s latest material.
UpNano achieved this viscosity using specific base resins that were used in UpFlow material. The material’s viscosity is maintained until it is exposed to UV light. Other advantages of the material include a high optical transparency – making it well-suited for microscopic inspections of the incubated embryos – and a very low autofluorescence.
Fertilis has recently received a NanoOne Printer from the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), at the University of South Australia. The printer improves both the quality and speed of 3D-printed micro-devices for incubating embryos. “Previously, the 3D printing of our microfluidic devices took a full fortnight. Only 4h now. This is an extraordinary acceleration of the production. And, best of it all, using UpFlow results in a better-quality product than achieved before,” said Marty Guavin, CEO of Fertilis.
Using a NanoOne also allows Fertilis to take full advantage of UpNano’s adaptive resolution technology, which can modulate the focus width of the laser beam while printing – enabling the printing of larger and smaller features in one go, and increasing production time and quality. “The microfluidic device of Fertilis has minute channels as well as larger structures to connect the device to tubes necessary for the incubation process. Being able to print across a range of scales – from nanometers to centimeters – the NanoOne can print this all in a single production cycle,” said Denise Hirner. This improves the tightness of the connections to the tubes and reduces any risk of leakage.
Microfluidic devices made using UpFlow together protect the embryo. They also allow for automated changes to the nutrient media that surrounds it. This creates the best possible environment for IVF. “Our device allows fertilization, embryo culture, and embryo cryopreservation to occur in the one structure – no more moving embryos around by hand. This, in fact, increases the success rate significantly and reduces time, costs, and stress for the parents,” said Marty Guavin.
UpNano’s development of UpFlow is a further demonstration of the immense potential of 2PP3D printing for medical and cell research. This has also been shown by UpNano with the introduction of the X Hydrobio INX U200 – the only commercially available resin that allows for the embedding of living cells straight from a culture plate within highly precise 3D printed structures for biological applications.