Cascia

Regennica



Regennica is a family of cell delivery mechanisms incorporating biologic and synthetic materials. Some are designed to be formulated with limited effort, such as mixing in a syringe just prior to injection, while others are more complex requiring computer assisted bioprinting with laser polymerization of photosensitive materials, extrusion of temperature cured thermoplastics, or chemical and heat sensitive biological proteins. All formulations are designed to maximize the potential benefit of the cell transplant by:

• Maintaining the maximum achievable cellular viability
• Providing a permissive environment for cellular proliferation
• Creating an ideal microenvironment for the intended use that permits mechanotransduction and mechanosensing, and
• Controlling the rate of cellular migration from the implant into the damaged tissue

Proprietary Materials

Cascia is developing two proprietary additives to enhance the function of our implants.
Small molecule
• Inhibits promotion of fibrosis
• Reduces early cell migration out of the implant
• Permits stem cell self-replication in situ
• Limits premature cell differentiation
 
Non-CpG peptide sequence
• Down-regulates inflammation
• Reduces apoptosis
• Attenuates neuropathic pain


Standard Materials

Our implants can include over 40 different materials, and new biologically compatible materials are continously being developed.

• Thermoresponsive polymers (collagen, elastin, gelatin, matrigel)
• Thermoplastics (PCL, PLA, PLGA, PP, PU)
• Ceramics & Metal (bioglass, calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, SPIO, laponite)
• Photocrosslinkable (silicone, functionalized PEG, PVA, Glycidyl-methacrylated HA)
• Other biocompatible materials (fibrin, chitosan, graphene, silk fibroin, alginate)

Fabrication Techniques


In addition to the techniques discussed in the Biophotonics section of this web site, other techniques can be used to fabricate biomimetic implants.

Electrospinning produces fibers reminiscent of fibrillar collagens (Natural collagen left, electrospun material right)



Melt electrowriting techniques can mimic natural scaffolds (Collagen Type IV left, Melt Electrowriting right)