Regenerative medicine focuses on restoring or replacing damaged tissues and organs, promoting healing and stimulating the body’s natural repair processes. Tissue engineering is a critical branch of regenerative medicine that specifically involves the creation of new tissues or organs using a combination of human and animal biomaterials, cells and biochemical factors. It offers novel solutions that have the potential to significantly enhance patient outcomes across a wide range of medical fields – from breast reconstruction and heart valve repairs and replacements, to bone and cartilage injuries.
Over the past two decades, innovative approaches like stem cell therapies and 3D bioprinting have delivered remarkable improvements in patient care, providing new options for those with previously limited treatments. However, the pace of transformative breakthroughs has slowed in recent years. The use of porcine and bovine materials, once groundbreaking, is now more common, and improvements in patient care have become increasingly incremental.
The promise of next generation tissue engineering within regenerative medicine remains a vital force in shaping the future of medicine, offering opportunities for accelerating progress in achieving better patient outcomes. But where will the next wave of innovation come from, and how will it address unmet medical needs?
Currently, our industry follows a product-first approach: developing tissue-based solutions and then seeking appropriate patient applications. What if the next breakthrough was a transformational shift to a genuine “patient-first” mindset? By focusing on the specific needs of patients from the outset, we can reshape the way in which we innovate, driving more impactful scientific advances while maintaining a rigorous commitment to safety and quality. This shift toward addressing the dynamic needs of patients, rather than tweaking existing processes, contrasts significantly with the industry’s existing static approach, and will truly transform the industry as well as leading to solutions that will significantly enhance the quality of life for patients – speeding up recovery, preventing complications and improving long-term outcomes.
A Patient-First Revolution
This isn’t just a theoretical concept—it’s being put into practice by leading surgeons across specialties such as plastic and reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, and cardiology. These experts carefully consider each patient’s unique circumstances, tailoring their procedures accordingly. The industry needs to adopt this patient-centric mindset. We must move away from the traditional approach of incrementally improving existing solutions and instead begin the entire R&D process with the patient.
This evolution mirrors the broader trends in healthcare over the last decade. From targeted cancer therapies to personalized gene treatments and custom-designed medical devices, medicine has been moving toward individualized care. The field of regenerative medicine must follow this path. Instead of relying on one-size-fits-all tissue solutions, the future lies in understanding each patient’s specific needs and then developing tailored materials and treatments.
Enhancing Patient Lives
The success of this patient-first approach is already evident. In procedures ranging from separating conjoined twins and dural repair to novel techniques in sacroiliac joint fusion, the careful selection of the most appropriate biomaterials – whether bovine, porcine or other sources – has led to improved patient experiences.
Our company, Evergen, had the privilege of collaborating with surgeons to support a groundbreaking surgery that separated two-year-old twin boys who were conjoined at the skull and shared the same dura mater membrane. During the procedure, dural graft material was used to replace the shared membrane, providing each twin with an individual dura mater to protect their brains from cerebrospinal fluid leaks. The grafts were crafted from an extracellular collagen matrix derived from porcine SIS material, specifically selected for its suitability in head and neck surgeries. By choosing a graft that was tailored to the twins’ specific surgical and biological needs, the chances of a positive outcome were significantly enhanced, and the twins were successfully separated.
From Patient-first Innovation to Outstanding Science
In 2025 and beyond, the regenerative medicine industry must embrace the innovation of a patient-first philosophy. This approach will then accelerate the progress of scientific innovation, as researchers and developers shift their focus to creating new biomaterials, including hybrid materials, or discovering novel ways to use existing ones.
Examples of scientific developments underway include the creation of bioactive scaffolds, which are designed not only to support tissue regeneration but also to stimulate healing by releasing growth factors at the site of injury. Additionally, 3D bioprinting is being used to develop custom-designed tissues, providing precise, patient-specific solutions for surgeries. Stem cell therapies are also making strides, with researchers working on techniques to regenerate damaged organs and tissues, offering hope for patients with conditions that were once considered untreatable. And scientists are exploring the use of hybrid materials that combine the best quality natural and synthetic substances, offering greater durability and adaptability in a variety of medical applications.
With all these scientific achievements, I am optimistic that we are about to see the next transformational shift in tissue engineering in regenerative medicine – but we must all commit to the innovation of starting with the patient. Only then will we radically accelerate the speed with which we move towards better outcomes, faster recovery times, and more effective treatments for patients worldwide.
Olivier Visa
As President and CEO, Olivier leads Evergen toward patient-centric innovation, accelerated growth, deep customer engagement, and enhanced employee development. He has over 30 years of life sciences leadership experience. Before Evergen, he served as Vice President of the Global Compounding business unit of Baxter Healthcare and held multiple commercial leadership roles at Baxter Pharmaceuticals and Technology and its global contract manufacturing business. Olivier earned a doctorate degree in pharmacy from the University of Aix Marseille II and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Evergen is a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) pushing the boundaries of innovation and tissue engineering to meet patient needs in regenerative medicine. Headquartered in Alachua, Florida, Evergen has facilities in the United States, Europe and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.evergenbio.com.
