The Business of Biofabrication

Commercial Focus Begins with Veterinary Wound Care

Lithuanian startup Vital3D is positioning itself at the forefront of bioprinted organ development, with a projected timeline of 10 to 15 years for human applications. As a first step toward that goal, the company is entering the market with VitalHeal, a 3D-bioprinted wound patch for pets — beginning with dogs.

Based in Vilnius, Vital3D employs a proprietary laser-based bioprinting platform that precisely arranges living cells and biomaterials to replicate biological tissue structures. These tissue constructs could eventually form the foundation for fully functional human organs tailored to individual patients.

Founder’s Motivation and Strategic Product Roadmap

CEO Vidmantas Šakalys, a photonics specialist and serial entrepreneur, co-founded Vital3D in 2021 after personal loss motivated a pivot toward medical innovation. His long-term goal is to develop bioprinted kidneys for transplantation, but he acknowledges the path requires intermediate, revenue-generating products to sustain the company.

VitalHeal is designed as an initial commercial offering. It enables faster and safer wound recovery in animals by accelerating skin regeneration and reducing infection risk. The patch features a porous surface that facilitates air flow while preventing bacterial contamination and applying consistent pressure to wounds. Early data suggest it can cut healing times by over 50% and significantly reduce surgical interventions and follow-up visits.

Market Opportunity in Veterinary Care

Vital3D is targeting the fast-growing animal wound care sector, which is expected to reach €1.87 billion globally by 2030. The company estimates a €76.5 million serviceable addressable market across the EU and US, with an initial sales target of 100,000 units by 2027–2028.

Pet dogs, in particular, present a strong entry point due to their high risk of injury and post-surgical complications. Cancer incidence among older dogs further increases the need for advanced wound care solutions.

Retail pricing for VitalHeal is projected at €300 per patch (€150 wholesale), but the company expects production scaling to reduce costs. According to Vital3D, the patch could cut typical treatment expenses in half — from €3,000 to €1,500 — for pet owners.

Veterinary trials are set to begin in Lithuania and the UK during summer 2025. A non-degradable version of the product is scheduled for European launch in 2026, with a biodegradable model to follow.

Pipeline Expansion and Human Health Applications

Following the veterinary rollout, Vital3D plans to adapt the wound-healing technology for human use, targeting diabetic patients with chronic wounds — a group that represents approximately 25% of all diabetes cases. Future use cases may include treatment for burns, traumatic injuries, and post-operative recovery.

In parallel, Vital3D is collaborating with Lithuania’s National Cancer Institute to develop organoids for drug testing. Additional R&D includes early-stage work on bioprinted stents, which have shown promise in animal models.

Long-Term Vision: Bioprinted Organ Transplants

Vital3D’s proprietary printing platform uses photonic technology to guide light into a photosensitive bio-ink, enabling high-precision formation of tissue-like structures. The laser beam can be shaped to mimic complex biological geometries, a capability that may ultimately enable printing of entire organs.

Key scientific challenges remain — including vascularization and differentiation of cell types. Šakalys notes the company is focusing first on solving the vascular structure problem, followed by dynamic cell specialization during the printing process.

The broader goal is to address the severe global shortage of transplantable organs. In the U.S. alone, over 90,000 patients await kidney transplants, with fewer than 10% receiving one each year — a gap that has given rise to illicit organ markets.

About Vital3D

Vital3D is a biotechnology startup based in Vilnius, Lithuania, focused on next-generation bioprinting for regenerative medicine and organ engineering. Founded in 2021, the company leverages a proprietary laser-based bioprinting system capable of assembling living cells and biomaterials into functional, anatomically accurate tissue structures. While the long-term objective is the fabrication of transplantable human organs such as kidneys, Vital3D has adopted a phased strategy that begins with near-term commercial applications in veterinary wound care. Its first product, VitalHeal, reflects this approach—addressing immediate market needs while building the technological foundation for more complex human health applications. Through ongoing R&D collaborations and a clear roadmap, Vital3D aims to bridge the gap between current bioprinting capabilities and future clinical transplantation.

For more information check their website.