NSF-Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine (PTRME) Awards $2.5 Million in Grants to Drive Economic Growth
NOTE: BMI OrganBank licensed perfusion tech from the Duke Ex-Vivo Organ Lab, led by Drs. Andrew S. Barbas and Matthew Hartwig (Surgery, SOM). This press release first appeared on the RegenMed Engine website.
The Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine (PTRME), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), has announced a groundbreaking investment of $2.5 million in the region’s regenerative medicine industry through its inaugural Ecosystem Building Grant program. This milestone underscores PTRME’s leadership in regenerative medicine and commitment to positioning the Piedmont Triad as a global hub for innovation. Six innovative companies have been awarded grants to support the commercialization of regenerative medicine products. This funding is expected to catalyze technological advancements, strengthen the local economy, and drive the region’s competitiveness on a global scale.
“These grants represent more than funding—they are a bold statement about the Piedmont Triad’s role at the forefront of regenerative medicine,” said Tim Bertram, CEO of PTRME. “By investing in these pioneering companies, we are not only accelerating scientific breakthroughs but also fueling economic growth, creating jobs, and reinforcing the region’s position as a leader in advancing manufacturing scalability, supply chain operations, and quality standards of regenerative technologies.”
Six Companies Leading Innovation and Regional Economic Development
Each project funded by the Ecosystem Building Grant addresses critical challenges in regenerative medicine technologies, from advancing organ preservation to developing innovative tissue engineering strategies. The six companies selected for grants and their pioneering projects include:
- Biorg, Inc. is focused on developing immune-competent tumor organoids for applications in immuno-oncology. This project will advance organoid biomanufacturing in the Piedmont Triad region, translating academic research into commercial products. By successfully commercializing personalized tumor organoids, the project aims to enhance the field of oncology and showcase the region’s expanding expertise in regenerative medicine.
- Brinter, Inc. is focused on manufacturing high-strength, regenerative orthobiologic implants designed to repair tendons. These implants are made from advanced materials that promote regeneration of damaged tendons, which are crucial for mobility and function in the body. Brinter’s technology aims to improve the regenerative process by providing stronger, more effective implants that can help tendons recover faster and more fully.
- BMI OrganBank’s project aims to commercialize organ banking technology and revolutionize transplantation. The company plans to use the funding to address two key barriers to bringing regenerative medicine into the clinic: transporting living organs and tissue from the manufacturing site and confirming their viability prior to implantation. With more than 100,000 people in the U.S. on transplant waiting lists at any given time, this innovative technology has the potential to significantly improve the organ transplant process and enhance efficiency.
- BioSpherix, LLC is establishing the BioSpherix Center for Cytocentric Technology at PTRME in Winston-Salem to accelerate the translation of cell-based technologies in the Piedmont Triad region. The center will focus on utilizing BioSpherix’s Xvivo System®, which offers a more efficient approach to cell culture technologies. This system is not only designed to streamline the manufacturing processes but also simplifies training for the incoming workforce, making it easier for new talent to quickly adapt and contribute to the growing field.
- Humabiologics, LLC is advancing human collagen biomanufacturing for innovative regenerative applications. Their project introduces human collagen as a new class of biomaterials to drive progress in regenerative medicine. By leveraging the unique properties of human collagen, the company aims to improve outcomes in regenerative applications, enhancing the effectiveness of various biomanufacturing processes.
- FetTech, LLC is focused on developing a gel that helps tissues work together and regenerate more effectively. By advancing this technology, FetTech, is helping to speed up the development of solutions for complex challenges seen with damaged tissues. Ultimately, this work has the potential to improve quality of life by making regenerative technologies more accessible, effective, and scalable.
Building a World-Class Regenerative Medicine Ecosystem
The PTRME’s Ecosystem Building Grant program is only the beginning of the Engine’s investment in the Piedmont Triad region. This initiative underscores PTRME’s dedication to advancing regenerative medicine innovation while fostering economic growth. As the first step in a broader effort, this program sets the stage for a thriving, sustainable regional economy driven by cutting-edge science and transformative opportunities.
“These initiatives represent a strategic investment in the economic future of the Piedmont Triad region,” said Jesse Thornberg, COO of PTRME. “By supporting these high-potential companies, we are driving economic diversification, attracting additional investment, and laying the groundwork for sustained financial growth. Our engine is designed to create high-value jobs, boost regional competitiveness, and position the Piedmont Triad as a hub for innovation that delivers tangible returns for the community and we’re just getting started.”
About The Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine
The Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine (PTRME), is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program awarded to the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, supporting economic development in a 16-county region of central North Carolina through use-inspired research, technology translation, and workforce development at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Forsyth Technical Community College. The Engine is a key driver of economic growth in Central North Carolina. By fostering innovation in regenerative medicine, PTRME supports the development of new technologies, creating jobs and attracting investment to the region. The initiative unites academia, industry, and government to accelerate commercialization, provide resources to startups, and train a skilled workforce, thereby cementing the Piedmont Triad as the leading hub in the rapidly growing regenerative medicine industry.
About Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies, with many world firsts, including the development and implantation of the first engineered organ in a patient. Over 550 people at the institute, the largest in the world, work on more than 40 different tissues and organs. A number of the basic principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine were first developed at the institute. WFIRM researchers have successfully engineered replacement tissues and organs in all four categories – flat structures, tubular tissues, hollow organs and solid organs – and 17 different applications of cell/tissue therapy technologies, such as skin, urethras, cartilage, bladders, muscle, kidney, and vaginal organs, have been successfully used in human patients. The institute, which is part of Wake Forest University, is located in the Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, and is driven by the urgent needs of patients. The institute is making a global difference in regenerative medicine through collaborations with over 500 entities and institutions worldwide, through its government, academic and industry partnerships, its start-up entities, and through major initiatives in breakthrough technologies, such as tissue engineering, cell therapies, diagnostics, drug discovery, biomanufacturing, nanotechnology, gene editing and 3D printing. Learn more at WFIRM.org.
Media Contact: Stefanie Walling, Comm-WFIRM@wakehealth.edu