India picks 4D bioprinting for diabetic foot ulcer management

Indian pharmaceutical firm Alkem Laboratories has announced to launch a unique patented technology for the treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU). The solution would be based on disruptive 4D Bioprinting technology, which would be used to treat deep, non-healing chronic wounds and is expected to be launched in the Indian market in the latter half of 2022 post regulatory approval. This advanced technology for DFU management has a high scope of preventing amputations in diabetic patients. This technology will be available at affordable rates to Indian patients at a time when there is no definitive treatment for DFU in India. Approximately, 12-15 per cent with diabetes suffer from DFU at least once in a lifetime. 5–24 per cent of them will finally lead to limb amputation within 6–18 months after the first evaluation. Alkem has collaborated with South Korea-based Rokit Healthcare Inc. to commercialise the technology in India to help reduce amputation amongst DFU patients considering the negative impact of amputation on a patient’s quality of life and the associated economic burden on the healthcare system.