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in vitro use including 3D cell culture, 3D bioprinting, 3D cell transportation, imaging, bioprocessing
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for clinical applications including dermal fillers, soft tissue repair, drug carrier
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We also offer licenses for specific application fields
Nanocellulose for OEM Applications
From sustainably grown birch trees to high quality nanocellulose – we manufacture nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) as a biomaterial for biomedical use.
Nanofibrillar cellulose is already used in in vitro 3D cell culture (>180 protocols available for GrowDex®), in in vivo cell transplantation, in bioinks (GrowInk™) and in CE-marked wound dressings (FibDex®, medical device class II). We already supply several companies, such as BICO AB (Cellink), with our material for formulation of their own products.
Why to choose wood-based nanocellulose?
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Unique biomaterial:
- Animal-free – no animal DNA hampering results
- Biocompatible – in topical use with patients already
- Scalable – readily available in large quantities
- Reproducible – day-to-day, year-to-year same results
- Sustainable – made from Finnish birch trees
- Temperature stable – work in room temperature instead working on ice
- Easy-to-apply – thanks to shear-thinning property, it is injectable, bioprintable and works with almost any dispenser even with 1536 wells
- Degradable – nanocellulose can be enzymatically degraded into sugars using our cellulase enzyme
- Available in many forms: hydrogel, dressing and freeze-dried
- Make it your own: hydrogel for 3D cell culture, bioink, microcarrier, filler, implant, drug delivery vehicle, formulation agent, preservative, etc.
- Protected: more than 400 patents protect you and your customers
Nanofibrillar cellulose is made of birch and water
Nanofibrillar cellulose is produced from birch trees that are first processed into cellulose and further refined into nanoscale diameter. Our products are manufactured in Lappeenranta, Finland.
The first in the world to manufacture plant-based nanocellulose in ISO13485 quality
We have developed nanofibrillar cellulose for over 15 years and conducted more than 100 projects with numerous research partners. Together with our partners we have generated over 300 patents to protect the already existing and future applications.
We are the first in the world to manufacture plant-based NFC in accordance with ISO13485 and are working towards GMP standards so that they fulfil the highest requirements posed by medical applications. Biological safety of nanocellulose has been evaluated according to ‘ISO 10993 - Biological evaluation of medical devices’: genotoxicity and cytotoxcity.
Available OEM qualities are:
- Structural quality (used for mechanical and structural testing without cells)
- In vitro quality (used in cell culture applications in life sciences)
- Human in vivo non-biodegradable quality (used for clinical and regenerative medicine applications)
Application Areas
Nanofibrillar cellulose has been used in a wide variety of applications. Below are some examples of the potential end use applications of NFC.
In vitro use: 3D cell culture, in vivo tumor and disease models, bioink for 3D bioprinting, transportation of cells in temperatures above 0 °C.
- Booij, T. H., C. M. Cattaneo and C. K. Hirt (2022) "Tumor Organoids as a Research Tool: How to Exploit Them." Cells 11 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213440.
Wound care: hydrogel or dressing for advanced wound care medical devices
- Koivuniemi R. et al. (2019) Clinical Study of Nanofibrillar Cellulose Hydrogel Dressing for Skin Graft Donor Site Treatment. Advances in Wound Care 2019. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2019.0982
- Hakkarainen T. et al. (2016) Nanofibrillar cellulose wound dressing in skin graft donor site treatment. Journal of Controlled Release 2016; 16, 292-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.07.053
- Koivuniemi R. et al. (2021) Comparison of the Therapeutic Effects of Native and Anionic Nanofibrillar Cellulose Hydrogels for Full-Thickness Skin Wound Healing, Micro, https://doi.org/10.3390/micro1020015
- Kiiskinen J. et al. (2019) Nanofibrillar cellulose wound dressing supports the growth and characteristics of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells without cell adhesion coatings, Stem Cell Research & Therapy, (2019) https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-019-1394-7
Bioprocessing: The hydrogel itself or microcarriers made from NFC are used for the expansion of cells or production of cell-derived products especially with sensitive cell types (stem cells and immune cells)
- Heuer, R.A., et al., (2020). Three-Dimensional Otic Neuronal Progenitor Spheroids Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Tissue Engineering Part A. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1089/ten.TEA.2020.0078
- Chang, H.-T., et al. (2020) An engineered three-dimensional stem cell niche in the inner ear by applying a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel with a sustained-release neurotrophic factor delivery system. Acta Biomaterialia 108: p. 111-127. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1742706120301392?via%3Dihub
- Kiiskinen J. et al. (2019) Nanofibrillar cellulose wound dressing supports the growth and characteristics of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells without cell adhesion coatings. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2019, 10:292. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-019-1394-7
- Harjumäki R. et al. (2019) Quantified forces between HepG2 hepatocarcinoma and WA07 pluripotent stem cells with natural biomaterials correlate with in vitro cell behaviour. Scientific Reports 2019; 9, 7354. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43669-7
- Sheard J et al. (2019) Optically Transparent Anionic Nanofibrillar Cellulose Is Cytocompatible with Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells and Allows Simple Imaging in 3D. Stem Cells International. In press. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/3106929
- Azoidis, J. Metcalfe, J. Reynolds, S. Keeton, S. Hakki, J. Sheard and D. Widera (2017). Three-dimensional cell culture of human mesenchymal stem cells in nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogels. MRS Communications, p. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2017.59
- Yan-Ru Lou, Liisa Kanninen, Bryan Kaehr, Jason L. Townson, Johanna Niklander, Riina Harjumäki, C. Jeffrey Brinker & Marjo Yliperttula (2015). Silica bioreplication preserves three-dimensional spheroid structures of human pluripotent stem cells and HepG2 cells. Nature Scientific Reports 5:13635 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13635
- Yan-Ru Lou, Liisa Kanninen, Tytti Kuisma, Johanna Niklander, Luke A. Noon, Deborah Burks, Arto Urtti and Marjo Yliperttula (2014). The Use of Nanofibrillar Cellulose Hydrogel as a Flexible Three-Dimensional Model to Culture Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells and Development, Volume 23, Number 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24188453
Fillers and implants: applied in soft tissue repair and augmentation or orthopaedics
- Laurén P. et al. (2014) Technetium-99m-labeled nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel for in vivo drug release. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2014 Dec 18;65:79-88. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928098714003704
Drug Delivery: subcutaneous injection, implantable, ocular, NFC as a carrier for APIs
- Zini, J., et al., (2021). Drug diffusivities in nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel by combined time-resolved Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. Journal of Controlled Release, 334: p. 367-375. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016836592100198X.
- Paukkonen H. et al. (2017) Hydrophobin-nanofibrillated cellulose stabilized emulsions for encapsulation and release of BCS class II drugs. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2017;100: 238-248. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28126561
- Laurén P. et al. (2014) Technetium-99m-labeled nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel for in vivo drug release. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2014 Dec 18;65:79-88. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928098714003704
- Ruzica Kolakovic, (2013) Nanofibrillar Cellulose in Drug Delivery, University of Helsinki, Finland, 2013. https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/38058/nanofibr.pdf?sequence=1
- Paukkonen H. et al. (2017) Nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogels and reconstructed hydrogels as matrices for controlled drug release. Int J Pharm. 2017 Oct 30;532(1):269-280. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28888974
- Mingwei Li, (2016) Nanofibrillar cellulose as a potential reservoir for drug delivery and its application in transdermal drug delivery with the aid of iontophoresis, University of Helsinki, Finland, 2016 https://helda.helsinki.fi/handle/10138/159843
Reg. Med.: NFC as an implant biomaterial for cells, exosomes, mRNA
- Heuer, R.A., et al., (2020). Three-Dimensional Otic Neuronal Progenitor Spheroids Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Tissue Engineering Part A. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1089/ten.TEA.2020.0078
- Chang, H.-T., et al. (2020) An engineered three-dimensional stem cell niche in the inner ear by applying a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel with a sustained-release neurotrophic factor delivery system. Acta Biomaterialia 108: p. 111-127. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1742706120301392?via%3Dihub
- Kiiskinen J. et al. (2019) Nanofibrillar cellulose wound dressing supports the growth and characteristics of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells without cell adhesion coatings. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2019, 10:292. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-019-1394-7
- Harjumäki R. et al. (2019) Quantified forces between HepG2 hepatocarcinoma and WA07 pluripotent stem cells with natural biomaterials correlate with in vitro cell behaviour. Scientific Reports 2019; 9, 7354. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43669-7
- Sheard J et al. (2019) Optically Transparent Anionic Nanofibrillar Cellulose Is Cytocompatible with Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells and Allows Simple Imaging in 3D. Stem Cells International. In press. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/3106929
- Azoidis, J. Metcalfe, J. Reynolds, S. Keeton, S. Hakki, J. Sheard and D. Widera (2017). Three-dimensional cell culture of human mesenchymal stem cells in nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogels. MRS Communications, p. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2017.59
- Yan-Ru Lou, Liisa Kanninen, Bryan Kaehr, Jason L. Townson, Johanna Niklander, Riina Harjumäki, C. Jeffrey Brinker & Marjo Yliperttula (2015). Silica bioreplication preserves three-dimensional spheroid structures of human pluripotent stem cells and HepG2 cells. Nature Scientific Reports 5:13635 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13635
- Yan-Ru Lou, Liisa Kanninen, Tytti Kuisma, Johanna Niklander, Luke A. Noon, Deborah Burks, Arto Urtti and Marjo Yliperttula (2014). The Use of Nanofibrillar Cellulose Hydrogel as a Flexible Three-Dimensional Model to Culture Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells and Development, Volume 23, Number dr4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24188453
Preservation agent for extended in vivo activity of APIs: long-term storage preservative above 0°C, e.g. vaccines
- Koivunotko, E., A. Merivaara, A. Niemelä, S. Valkonen, K. Manninen, H. Mäkinen, M. Viljanen, K. Svedström, A. Diaz, M. Holler, J. Zini, L. Paasonen, O. Korhonen, S. Huotari, A. Koivuniemi and M. Yliperttula (2021). "Molecular Insights on Successful Reconstitution of Freeze-Dried Nanofibrillated Cellulose Hydrogel." ACS Applied Bio Materials. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsabm.1c00739
- Merivaara, A., J. Zini, E. Koivunotko, S. Valkonen, O. Korhonen, F. M. Fernandes and M. Yliperttula (2021). "Preservation of biomaterials and cells by freeze-drying: Change of paradigm." Journal of Controlled Release 336: 480-498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.06.042
- Auvinen V-V. et al. (2019) Effects of nanofibrillated cellulose hydrogels on adipose tissue extract and hepatocellular carcinoma cell spheroids in freeze-drying. Cryobiology 2019. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cryobiol.2019.09.005
- Vili-Veli Auvinen et al. (2017) Nanofibrillar cellulose as a Lyoprotective Matrix in The Freeze-Drying of HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells. 3rd Annual Visions for 3D cell culture 2017, Helsinki.
- Sheetal Patpatia et al. (2018) Hydrogel as Bacteriophage Storage, Assay and Transportation Matrix. Oxford Bacteriophage Conference 2018, Oxford, UK.
- Dr Corné Swart et al. (2020) Live Cell Transportation of Immobilized Midbrain Organoids in a Shipping Incubator. SLAS 2020, San Diego, USA.
Different forms of nanofibrillar cellulose
Nanofibrillar cellulose is currently available in the forms of hydrogel, dressing and as freeze-dried.
Hydrogel
Nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel is a temperature stable gel. The material properties do not change even when temperature changes from 0°C to 60 °C. The hydrogel is a ready-to-use hydrogel meaning that it does require any steps (e.g. crosslinking or polymerization) to form the gel. It is also shear thinning material, meaning that the gels viscosity decreases under shear strain and it recovers back to its semisolid state when the applied stress is removed. The nanocellulose hydrogel's shear thinning property enables injecting it with a needle (for instance 30G size was used in vivo), handling with automated liquid dispensing or bioprinting.
Dressing
UPM’s nanocellulose dressing is already in clinical use in Europe. The advanced wound dressing is applied only once to the wound and peels of by itself as the epithelisation occurs. Single-time application of the dressing on the wound minimises the risk of infections and inflammation and reduces the valuable nursing time. The nanocellulose dressing can be cut into shape in dry or wet state to accurately fit it on the treated area. The nanocellulose dressing has shown to provide improved scar quality.
The dressing can be combined with pharmaceutics and especially with active biological components, where it not only provides localization of the treatment but also sustained activity of the drugs. The active pharmaceutical components can be applied to the dressing by several methods including spray coating or dip coating.
Freeze-dried
Our nanofibrillar cellulose is provided also in freeze-dried form. Freeze-dried NFC can be instantly reconstituted back to the hydrogel-state by adding liquid. Freeze-drying enables long-term storage and shipping of components such as drugs, biologics, cells and other new modalities, while it also protects the primary structure and shape of the products. Freeze-drying increases the end products shelf life and preserves biological samples.
Credit: Prof. Marjo Yliperttula's research group, University of Helsinki
Interested in having a bilateral project or public project (e.g. EU Horizon) with us?
We are seeking for industrial partners (Pharma, Biotech and Medical device companies) to incorporate NFC in medical treatments.