Rokit Healthcare, a leading company specializing in organ regeneration (CEO Seok-Hwan You), announced on the 18th that its “3D Printing-Based Autologous Fat Tissue Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcer (commonly known as ‘diabetic foot’) or Wound Treatment Technology” has been selected as an innovative medical technology by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA).

On August 14th, based on the deliberation results of the New Health Technology Assessment Committee, NECA recognized Rokit Healthcare’s “3D Printing-Based Autologous Fat Tissue Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcer or Wound Treatment Technology” as an innovative medical technology with proven safety and potential.

The innovative medical technology evaluation is a system introduced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2019 to expedite the market entry of innovative medical technologies. Once selected, the technology can be immediately used in clinical settings as a selectively covered or non-covered service after notification to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and registration for use by the implementing institution. Only applicants for the innovative medical technology evaluation are eligible to register for its use.

With this selection, Rokit Healthcare’s technology can now be used as a selectively covered or non-covered service in domestic medical settings, and the company can register as the implementing institution as the applicant for this technology’s evaluation.

This technology is aimed at chronic diabetic foot patients who do not respond to standard treatments. It involves converting the patient’s autologous fat tissue into micro-fat tissue with minimal manipulation, 3D printing it into a patch that matches the size and shape of the affected area, and applying it to protect the wound and promote healing through cell proliferation, providing a personalized medical solution.

A company representative stated, “Our technology enables the entire process, from harvesting the autologous fat tissue to applying the micro-fat patch to the affected area, to be completed in a short time in the operating room by the physician in a one-stop procedure. This not only provides convenience to the medical staff and allows patients to receive rapid treatment without hospitalization, improving their quality of life, but also reduces overall medical costs, alleviating the burden on the country.”

Rokit Healthcare’s organ regeneration platform combines the strengths of artificial intelligence (AI), 3D bioprinting, and autologous fat tissue solutions, allowing for safe and effective wound healing in clinical settings. This platform, with its integration of innovative technologies such as digital wound detection, patient-specific bioregenerative patches, and same-day discharge following the procedure, has established itself as a medical technology with both safety and potential.

Professor Kwon Soon-Young, Honorary President of the Korean Medical 3D Printing Society, commented, “Rokit’s selection as an innovative medical technology is a positive example of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s active support for the bio industry. This recognition will enhance the credibility of domestically developed technologies as they expand globally, in line with the government’s policy to foster innovative medical technologies.”

Seok-Hwan You, CEO of Rokit Healthcare, stated, “This technology is an innovative diabetic foot treatment that can improve patients’ quality of life while reducing medical expenses for both the nation and individuals. We are pleased that this selection as an innovative medical technology will enable diabetic foot patients to receive treatment at nearby medical institutions.”

Rokit Healthcare’s technology is gaining attention not only domestically but also internationally. The company has already entered 10 countries, including the United States, Brazil, India, and Malaysia, treating diabetic foot patients worldwide, and has signed sales contracts with 28 countries. The technology has been approved under the European CE MDR certification, making it applicable in approximately 50 countries globally.