Through its 3D printing business, chemicals company Evonik has been developing materials that enable to provide suitable health care to patients across the world. The group is marking another firm interest in driving the market of medical 3D printing through an investment in Laxxon Medical, a US-based pharmaceutical company that develops a technology to mass produce 3D structured pills.
The investment is made by Evonik Venture Capital, the venture capital business of the company that has a fund size of €250 million. Amid the 45+ investments the VC firm has already conducted, Laxxon Medical is the 5th investment of the company in the 3D printing industry, the others being Castor, Meditool, Structured Polymers Inc, and UnionTech.
Laxxon Medical, a 3D screen printing technology for the healthcare industry
Laxxon was founded in 2017 by Helmut Kerschbaumer, Klaus Kuehne and Achim Schneeberger in Switzerland and is since 2021 headquartered in the U.S. with a German and a Swiss subsidiary.
The company’s 3D screen printing technology enables the fabrication of structured tablets that allows the controlled release of active pharmaceutical ingredients over time. Multiple ingredients can also be combined into one pill. Evonik’s specialized polymers ensure targeted delivery of the active ingredients in the novel tablets.
“This technology is great for patients. We expect fewer side effects from a more controlled drug delivery and having fewer pills reduces the risk of forgetting doses during the day,” said Bernhard Mohr, head of Evonik Venture Capital. “We are pleased to support innovation that brings real benefits to people and their health.”
Laxxon’s 3D screen printing gives the tablets different layers. The inner structure of the pill can, for example, have alternative layers of active ingredient and inert layers. This design allows for several doses of the drug to be released over time. In another design multiple drugs can be layered on top of each other, thus combining several pills into one. The size, geometry, inner structure, and materials used all combine to allow ideal kinetics – the speed of chemical reactions in the body – for the release of the active ingredients, the company says in a press release.
Interestingly, 3D printing technologies that enable to manufacture drugs have a proven record in terms of speed. Laxxon Medical’s solution makes no exception to this rule, allowing therefore mass production and generating opportunities to extend patents for pharmaceutical companies because of improved drug delivery.
“Evonik is the perfect partner to support the development of tablets with unique release properties,” said Kerschbaumer, who is also chief executive officer of Laxxon. “We are happy to have one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals companies with which we can further develop our products and at the same time commercially manufacture them.“
More than an investment, a value added service to Evonik’s existing business
While we only mentioned Evonik’s investments and products in the 3D printing industry earlier, it should be noted that this investment will also complement the existing business of the company in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
Indeed, during the past 6 decades, Evonik has been making drug delivery systems, excipients – an inactive substance that serves as the vehicle for a drug. For example, polymers serve as a coating for tablets allowing for the active ingredient to be released either immediately after being swallowed or after a certain delay or providing a sustained release over time.
Evonik’s products will be used in Laxxon’s printing pastes. In addition, Evonik and Laxxon have signed a joint product development and cooperation agreement. Based on this agreement, Evonik intends to manufacture tablets for Laxxon, a press communication reads.
“Drug delivery is becoming more high-precision and increasingly targets specific patient groups,” said Thomas Riermeier, head of Evonik’s Heath Care business line. “The collaboration with Laxxon will allow us to accelerate our activities in this important and emerging market.”
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