MANCHESTER, NH – Dean Kamen on Friday announced the launch of BioFabUSA, a new biomedical manufacturing company focused on the research, development, and creation of artificial tissue growth.
Headed by Kamen of DEKA Research and Development Corp, BioFabUSA operates under the umbrella of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), a non-profit organization whose mission, according to Kamen, is to “make practical the large-scale manufacturing of engineered tissues and organs, and to develop a trained and ready workforce necessary for that manufacturing.”
BioFabUSA is located in the Manchester mill yard at 400 Commercial Street, adjacent to DEKA headquarters.
Several notable political figures attended the event in a show of non-partisan support, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, Governor Chris Sununu, former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, former Governor John Lynch, and Mayor Ted Gatsas.
ARMI is a public-private partnership, funded by an $80 million grant from the Department of Defense and over $210 million raised by Kamen through investors. Kamen plans to incorporate a mix of academic institutions and private enterprises to assist in BioFabUSA’s mission.
“We have an incredible group of people that a have helped create this coalition of ours, from the most diverse places you can imagine,” said Kamen. “Medical school, engineering school, industry, research laboratories. The intersection of healthcare, innovation, technology, [and] medicine.”
“DEKA has an amazing track record in manufacturing medical technologies,” said Scott Guelcher of Vanderbilt University.
He and others in attendance expressed excitement at the opportunity to partner with Kamen in his newest initiative.