Tissue Engineering-Technology Developments Spur Healthcare MarketsFrost & SullivanDecember 26, 2003 SKU: MC953325 |
Radical advancements in technologies such as stem cell manipulation and three-dimensional organ printing are enabling the production of living tissues and regenerative therapies. Stem cells are being manipulated to diversify into specific cell types for in vivo regeneration of damaged tissues and to fabricate, with the use of scaffolds, new organs for implantation. Computer-designed three-dimensional tissues using cells, connective tissues, and 'growth factors' have also been produced in a bid to generate tissue with vascular access. The ultimate goal of all this research is to eventually enable scientists to grow living tissue on polymer scaffolds, thereby eliminating the need for transplants. This research on emerging technologies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine analyzes nascent technologies developing worldwide in tissue engineering and regenerative therapies, and the issues involving their commercialization. Stem Cell Engineering to Provide Breakthrough in Organ Repair and Replacement About $15 million is spent annually to treat bone, cartilage, and other connective structure injuries using allografts, autologous grafts, and synthetic materials that often prove insufficient. There is also an extreme shortage of replacement organs that are critical to save lives. These issues can be resolved by developing technology that can grow new organs from a few cells, or by encouraging an organ or tissue to repair itself. "Stem cells capable of generating a large number of cells and also differentiating into any type of cell can provide enough material to produce hundreds of new organs," says the analyst. Researchers have successfully tested embryonic stem cells for treatment of damaged spinal cords in experiments with rats. Adult stem cells have been used to improve heart function in humans with cardiac conditions. However, stem cell engineering has its own drawbacks. Embryonic stem cells might not be compatible with the patient's immune system and it is still not known if adult stem cells can generate adequate cells to grow new organs or if they can morph into diverse tissues. Market for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Therapies Poised for Exponential Growth Commercialization of engineered products is only in its initial stage and several companies have products that are in the final stages of clinical trials. Private spending on tissue engineering research has already reached $5 billion in the United States, and with technologies having the potential to create living organs, investments are only likely to increase. Recognizing the economic potential of tissue engineering, governments worldwide are channeling significant funds into R&D. "One major factor driving the tissue engineering and regeneration markets is the recognition by government funding agencies and pharmaceutical companies that if they can be made to be cost-effective, these technologies could save millions of dollars a year in healthcare costs," concludes the analyst. |
