Value Proposition:
· Controlled Oxygen Release: The CPO-PCL scaffolds provide a long-term, controlled release of oxygen for up to 22 days, enhancing cellular viability in ischemic conditions without causing burst release, which minimizes cytotoxicity risks.
· Enhanced Osteogenesis: Promotes early and sustained osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs), leading to superior bone mineralization compared to existing scaffolds.
· Biocompatibility and Safety: Demonstrated non-cytotoxicity to hASCs under both normoxic and ischemic conditions, supporting prolonged cell survival and proliferation.
· Scalability and Customization: Utilizes fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing for efficient production of patient-specific scaffolds with customizable geometry and porosity.
Unmet Need:
Craniofacial bone loss affects approximately 200,000–400,000 individuals annually in the United States, with no effective long-term treatment currently available. Existing scaffolds either lack sufficient oxygen release or fail to integrate seamlessly with patient-specific defect geometries. The CPO-PCL scaffold addresses this gap by providing a sustained and controlled release of oxygen, promoting cell survival and osteogenesis in ischemic bone defects, and offering scalable, patient-specific manufacturing capabilities.
Technology Description:
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have developed a 3D-printed scaffold composed of Calcium Peroxide (CPO) and Polycaprolactone (PCL).
· Fabrication: CPO-PCL mixtures (0%, 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% CPO by weight) are extruded into filaments and 3D-printed into scaffolds with controlled pore architecture.
· Oxygen Release: The scaffolds hydrolytically generate oxygen, which is sustained for 22 days, with 25% CPO-PCL showing the highest release profile (215–225 μmol of O2).
· In Vitro Efficacy: Demonstrated improved hASC survival and osteogenic differentiation under both normoxic and ischemic conditions, with increased calcium deposition and expression of osteogenic markers such as COL1A1 and Osteocalcin (OCN).
· In Vivo Efficacy: In murine models with critical-sized calvarial defects, 10% and 25% CPO-PCL scaffolds exhibited 2.2–2.4 times higher bone tissue volume than control PCL scaffolds after 8 weeks, indicating superior bone regenerative potential.
Stage of Development:
· Preclinical – the molecule has been tested in a variety of contexts in cells and mice and could be further developed in larger animal models and humans.
Data Availability:
· Data available upon request.
Select Publications:
Sarkar, Naboneeta, et al. "3D printed O2-generating scaffolds enhance osteoprogenitor-and type H vessel recruitment during bone healing." Acta Biomaterialia 185 (2024): 126-143.
Suvarnapathaki, Sanika, et al. "Oxygen-generating scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering applications." ACS biomaterials science & engineering 9.1 (2022): 409-426.
Touri, Maria, et al. "3D–printed biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds coated with an oxygen generating system for enhancing engineered tissue survival." Materials Science and Engineering: C 84 (2018): 236-242.
