Improving Care and Operational Readiness with 3D Bioprinted Tissue Analogs for Volumetric Muscle Loss

Objective: Significantly advance the treatment options for Volumetric Muscle Loss (VML) and soft tissue trauma– the most common primary injuries of ballistic trauma– and leading causes of long-term disability in medically retired service members using regenerative medicine 3D Bioprinted Implants– musculoskeletal tissue-like constructs to improve the treatment, recovery rate, and regeneration of commonly injured muscles, ligaments, and tendons among warfighters. This novel 3D bioprinting method produces grafts approximating native musculoskeletal tissue properties. Using this approach orthopaedic surgeons will be more likely to perform limb salvage procedures instead of amputation.  Effort: With the R&D proposed under this Phase II effort, Embody, Inc. will advance towards a significantly improved treatment option for VML by: 1.) Designing, developing, and scaling the company’s current small animal-scale bioprinted implants up to human-scale implants retaining similar 86% muscle force generation restoration capacity  2.) Optimizing bioprinted implant design and preparing for clinical translation including producing detailed design and development plans and strategies for regulatory submission.