Auxilium Biotechnologies Achieves World-First Space Bioprinting of Functional Kidney and Liver Tissues on ISS

July 19, 2026

Business Wire USA

Overview

Auxilium Biotechnologies successfully bioprinted kidney and liver tissues aboard the International Space Station using its AMP-1 orbital bioprinter, marking the first time these complex tissue types have been produced in orbit. This mission also generated cartilage tissue and 28 neural repair implants, representing the first single spaceflight to produce three distinct tissue types and both living tissue and implantable medical devices on a unified platform. This breakthrough dramatically expands the potential for organ manufacturing in microgravity.

In Depth

Key Findings

Auxilium Biotechnologies has achieved a historic milestone by successfully bioprinting kidney and liver tissues in orbit aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using its AMP-1 orbital bioprinter. This represents the first time these specific and complex organ tissues have been successfully manufactured in the microgravity environment, demonstrating a significant leap in in-space biomanufacturing capabilities.

Technical / Clinical Details

California-based Auxilium Biotechnologies collaborated with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, utilizing their advanced cell and tissue designs for the bioprinting process.
Beyond kidney and liver tissues, the mission successfully produced cartilage tissue and 28 neural repair implants. This makes it the first single spaceflight to manufacture three different tissue types.
Notably, it is also the first mission to produce both living biological tissues and implantable medical devices (neural repair implants) using the same manufacturing platform (the AMP-1 orbital bioprinter) in space.
The microgravity environment is critical as it mitigates gravity-induced structural collapse and deformation that often complicate complex 3D tissue printing on Earth, allowing for the formation of more intricate and robust tissue architectures.

Background & Context

In-space bioprinting holds immense promise for addressing critical challenges in regenerative medicine, such as the global shortage of organ donors for transplantation, and for providing advanced medical solutions for long-duration space missions. On Earth, gravity poses a significant impediment to the stable formation of complex 3D biological structures during bioprinting. The unique microgravity conditions on the ISS offer an ideal environment where cells can aggregate and organize into more natural and functional tissue constructs, validating space as a potential hub for next-generation medical manufacturing.

Strategic Significance & Outlook

This groundbreaking achievement by Auxilium Biotechnologies opens new frontiers for the future of human tissue and organ manufacturing, both for Earth-bound patients and for astronauts undertaking extended space voyages to destinations like Mars. The ability to produce functional human tissues in space could also significantly advance pharmaceutical research by creating more accurate disease models for drug discovery and testing. This fusion of regenerative medicine and space exploration is poised to accelerate innovation, potentially revolutionizing healthcare and establishing new paradigms for off-world bio-production.

Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709079391/en/Auxilium-Biotechnologies-Achieves-Historic-Space-Bioprinting-Milestone-Successfully-Bioprinting-Kidney-and-Liver-Tissues-in-Orbit-for-the-First-Time

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