Professor Andrew Dove
Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry
Staff profile for Andrew Dove, Professor in Chemistry at the University of Birmingham.
Spin-out: 4D Medicine
Developing new applications in veterinary tissue repair for novel 3D printed biomaterials
4D Medicine, a UK-based innovator in advanced biomaterials for 3D-printed surgical implants, is exploring a promising new opportunity for its bioabsorbable polymers in equine veterinary medicine.
The company, which founded as a spin-out from the University of Birmingham and the University of Warwick, has developed 4Degra®, a versatile material that supports tissue regeneration by gradually degrading in the body through natural metabolic processes. As the material resorbs, healthy tissue grows in its place, eliminating the need for surgical removal.
4Degra® can be formed into a wide range of complex geometries, from flexible films and membranes to rigid plates, pins, and bone scaffolds. Its lead application in humans is in Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) repair, with further areas of development including peripheral nerve repair and aesthetic medicine. The company is approaching a key regulatory milestone with an upcoming FDA submission for its first 510(k) approval.
The 4Degra® bioabsorbable polymer is suited to a wide range of implantable medical device applications.
In a surprising development, a new opportunity emerged when a group of leading veterinary surgeons in Germany approached the company to explore whether the degradable material could be used to treat subchondral (bone) cysts and fractures which are common injuries in equine sports medicine. Following successful proof-of-concept testing, 4D Medicine’s first veterinary product is expected to launch in 2027, bringing in early revenue and opening the door to new markets.
The product was implanted in the first live patient, a young show-jumping horse with a severe bone cyst that would otherwise have been life-ending.
The veterinary surgeon reported excellent outcomes from surgery, and the horse is now back at home with a textbook recovery.
The veterinary product is expected to launch and generate early revenue. “This wasn’t our original intention, but the market has pulled us into veterinary applications, and it’s proving very valuable,” says Mr Smith.
As 4D Medicine advances from R&D to commercialisation, its team has grown substantially to include around 15 skilled experts.
Continued funding is a major boost for the company’s future, and from the outset, Jerel Whittingham, Enterprise’s Head of IP and Commercialisation, has been a crucial partner. “Our relationship with Jerel has been frictionless. He acted as a great go-between for us and the University, and introduced us to our first investors five years ago. That introduction proved invaluable, since those investors are still backing us today and continue to introduce us to others.”
It’s a very difficult funding environment, so the fact that we’ve continued to raise the money we need to execute our strategy is very good news, and quite unusual right now. Having the University invest along the way has also been important, as that kind of support goes down very well with other investors.
With a strong foundation in academic research and a growing commercial pipeline, 4D Medicine continues to push the boundaries of regenerative medicine through novel, absorbable biomaterials designed for precision 3D printing.