I just read today this interesting and disheartening (no pun intended) SeekingAlpha analysis on the flagship bioprinting organization Organovo. I do think that this type of technology has an incredible future. However as always the ultimate shape, timing, and scope of true technological breakthroughs cannot be predicted, as the future of mankind is seldom an extrapolation of past (human behavior is funny like that). I follow food 3D printing at @foodfabbing.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2077...o-holdings-inc
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Best Short Idea In 2014: Organovo Holdings, Inc.

Mar. 10, 2014 8:40 AM ET | About: ONVO, Includes: ICEL

Disclosure: I am short ONVO. (More...)

Summary

  • ONVO's promise of creating "3d bio-printed organs" for humans is a pipe dream decades away, and ONVO has neither the capital nor people necessary to succeed at such a venture.
  • ONVO's 3D bioprinting technology is far too slow and expensive to deliver a viable product for drug toxicity testing, the only near-term market identified by management.
  • ONVO's patent protection is extremely weak and does not come close to claiming all of the methods necessary to "print" human organs in the future.
  • ONVO scientific co-founder, Gabor Forgacs, has left his role at the company and is pursuing more viable opportunities (synthetic leather & meat) with notable venture capital backers.
  • ONVO executives are cashing out: the top three (Keith Murphy, Barry Michaels and Sharon Presnell) have sold ~$7 million worth of ONVO stock and pay themselves nearly $1 million annually


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