Akron Biotech Partners in New Manufacturing USA Institute

Akron Biotech is part of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) consortium to develop next-generation manufacturing processes and technologies for cells, tissues and organs. The ARMI will receive nearly $300 million in public-private investment from leading manufacturers, universities, nonprofit organizations and the federal government to develop scalable manufacturing processes for engineered tissues and organs.

January 25, 2017 10:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, BOCA RATON, Fla. — Akron Biotechnology, LLC (Akron Biotech) is part of a new public-private Manufacturing USA initiative, the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI). Headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire, ARMI is the 12^th Manufacturing USA institute. It brings together a consortium of nearly 100 partner organizations from industry, government, academia and the non-profit sector to develop next-generation manufacturing processes and technologies for cells, tissues and organs.

Approximately $80 million from the federal government will be combined with more than $200 million in cost share to support the development of tissue and organ manufacturing capabilities. As part of continuing efforts to help revitalize American manufacturing and incentivize companies to invest in new technology development in the United States, ARMI will lead the Advanced Tissue Biofabrication (ATB) Manufacturing USA Institute on behalf of the Department of Defense.

Under the umbrella of Manufacturing USA, a public-private network that invests in the development of world-leading manufacturing technologies, ARMI will work to integrate and organize the fragmented collection of industry practices and domestic capabilities in tissue biofabrication technology in order to better position the US relative to global competition. ARMI will also focus on accelerating regenerative tissue research and creating state-of-the-art manufacturing innovations in biomaterial and cell processing for critical Department of Defense and civilian needs.

“We need to develop 21^st century tools for engineered tissue manufacturing that will allow these innovations to be widely available – similar to how a 15^th century tool (the printing press) allowed knowledge to spread widely during the Renaissance,” said inventor Dean Kamen, ARMI’s chairman.

ARMI’s efforts are supported by forty-seven industrial partners, twenty six academic and academically affiliated partners, and fourteen government and nonprofit partners. The ARMI partnership continues to grow.

About Akron Biotech

Akron Biotech was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in South Florida, U.S. Akron has a strategic focus on enabling tools, technologies, and services for the regenerative medicine industry. As a compliant global manufacturer, Akron develops and supplies innovative products and technologies for the tissue engineering, cell and gene therapy industry. These include cGMP growth factors, culture media, recombinant and human proteins, novel cryopreservation media, delivery technologies and bioengineered scaffolds for discovery, development, and commercialization. Our company’s unique business model emphasizes flexibility, quality, and unparalleled service—from research and development through clinical trial, market authorization, and commercial product. For more information, please visit www.akronbiotech.com

About ARMI

The Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), headquartered in Manchester, NH, is the 12^th Manufacturing USA Institute. It brings together a consortium of nearly 100 partners from across industry, government, academia and the non-profit sector to develop next-generation manufacturing processes and technologies for cells, tissues and organs. ARMI will work to organize the current fragmented domestic capabilities in tissue biofabrication technology to better position the U.S. relative to global competition. For more information on ARMI, please visit www.ARMIUSA.org.