T&R Biofab said Tuesday that it has registered a patent for manufacturing cell culture using integrated three-dimensional cell printing technology.

The patent is a technique for producing artificial skin by printing a skin-forming cell using a porous three-dimensional structure and dermal and epidermal cells through a 3D cell printing method.

The skin has similar characteristics to actual skins through the company’s integrated bioprinting technology, which combines the ejection type printing method for making a relatively thick dermis layer and inkjet printing method for forming a thin skin layer.

Unlike conventional artificial skin production methods, the technology can also prevent structural deformation of a layer containing a cell by using a 3D printing structure that employs the porous 3D structure.

The company expects that mass production and low price will be its competitive advantages in the market.

“This technology can be used effectively in a variety of areas such as assessing the efficacy and toxicity of newly developed therapeutic agents and cosmetics, and replacing animal experiments,” a company official said. “In recent years, animal experiments for cosmetics development have been banned in Europe, and the movement to restrict or ban animal experiments for drug development is expanding.”

Therefore, the artificial skin field, which can replace animal experiments, will become more marketable, he added.

The company plans to expand its marketing to local and overseas new drug-developing and cosmetics companies, and to further enhance its competitiveness in 3D cell printing by upgrading its technological capabilities.

T&R Biofab is pushing ahead with research and development for artificial skin tissue more similar to human skin, including blood vessels, hair follicles, and subcutaneous fat, to contribute to research and development of new drugs for skin diseases such as acne, wrinkles, and skin cancer, the company official said.