Newswise — Sudbury, MA -- January 11, 2022 - FluidForm, a leader in the field of recreating human tissue to radically transform drug discovery, surgical repair, and replacement, today announced an investment from Hackensack Meridian Health and its Bear’s Den innovation program. The investment will enable FluidForm to advance key applications in tissue for drug discovery and surgical repair, including collaboration on preclinical work in 2022.
“This is an exciting concept, with lots of therapeutic potential,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “These are the kinds of strategic investments that have the potential to help us transform health care for our communities and beyond.’’
The investment comes amid rapid company growth. FluidForm has recently accomplished several key milestones, including: establishing a pilot biofabrication line outside of Boston, receiving grants from both NIH and NSF for foundational work on key programs, and collaborating with multiple top life science companies.
Mike Graffeo, CEO and co-founder of FluidForm, said: “As we continue to advance our leading tissue applications, clinical input and partnership are a key element of our successful growth. We are excited to work with the truly outstanding group of clinical and research experts at Hackensack Meridian Health.”
The ability to recreate functional human tissue has the potential to transform human health. FluidForm’s FRESH™ printing is a leading technology that has been proven to recreate biology, from structure to function. FluidForm seeks to deliver on the promise of tissue therapies, in order to radically transform human health and longevity.
This investment in Fluid Form is Hackensack Meridian Health’s sixth through the Bear’s Den, the health network’s successful innovation program, which seeks to drive medical science forward by supporting strategic candidates in biotech and pharma.
Launched in 2017, Bear’s Den features a panel of experts, including Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Garrett, leading physicians, key network executives, venture capitalists, patent attorneys, who gather regularly to vet proposals from entrepreneurs. The health network’s novel incubator has vetted many products and strategies to streamline care delivery, reduce infections, lower hospital readmissions, and help patients partner in their care with physicians.
“At Hackensack Meridian Health, we have identified regenerative medicine as a key focus area where we bring unique expertise and experience,” said Dr. Ihor Sawczuck, chief research officer and president of Hackensack Meridian Health’s Northern Region. “We are thrilled to invest in and collaborate with FluidForm across their portfolio of tissue applications in novel drug discovery and medical devices.”
ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.
Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and JFK University Medical Center in Edison; one university teaching hospital – Ocean University Medical Center in Brick; two children’s hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; eight community hospitals – Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Old Bridge Medical Center in Old Bridge, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; a behavioral health hospital – Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead; and two rehabilitation hospitals - JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.
Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness center, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 36,000 team members, and 7,000 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
The network’s notable distinctions include having more top-ranked hospitals than anyone in New Jersey, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. Hackensack University Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey with the #1 adult and children’s hospital rankings.
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey's best cancer center, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. This premier cancer center is also the largest and most comprehensive center dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, and preventive care as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancers. John Theurer Cancer Center is part of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.
Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to ensure that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.
The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its campus in Nutley and Clifton. The Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), housed in a fully renovated state-of-the-art facility, seeks to translate current innovations in science to improve clinical outcomes for patients with cancer, infectious diseases and other life-threatening and disabling conditions.
Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.
About FluidForm
FluidForm is the world leader in functional human tissue for research, repair, and replacement. Our patented FRESH 3D printing technology is the most advanced biofabrication platform in the world, as published in Science. The company’s robust pipeline includes development and preclinical programs addressing significant unmet need in human health. These programs include bioprosthetic implantable medical devices, and a new generation of structurally and compositionally complex tissue models to test drug efficacy and cardiotoxicity, with an ultimate focus on tissue and organ replacement. FluidForm is in the Boston area.
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