A biotech company from Zielona Góra, Polbionica, has successfully 3D-printed a fully functional bionic pancreas capable of producing insulin, glucagon and C-peptide in line with human physiology, marking a major step forward in regenerative medicine and diabetes treatment.

The project has already been recognised at the national level, winning the top prize in the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) competition “Polski Produkt Przyszłości” (“Polish Product of the Future”). The award highlights both the technological sophistication of the device and its potential medical impact.

In preclinical testing on large animals, the bionic pancreas demonstrated full functional activity. According to the data collected so far, the implanted organ not only maintained hormonal function but was also associated with a reduced need for externally administered insulin. This suggests that the device could eventually offer patients with severe metabolic disorders a much more physiological and less burdensome form of therapy than current insulin regimens.

The technology is designed above all for people with type 1 diabetes, whose own pancreatic beta cells have been destroyed by autoimmune processes. By replacing the failing organ with a living, printed structure capable of real-time hormonal regulation, clinicians could move beyond lifelong injections and toward a genuine organ-level solution. The same approach could also be used in patients with chronic pancreatitis, where the endocrine function of the pancreas is gradually lost.

Beyond direct treatment, Polbionica’s bionic pancreas has clear research applications. Because it behaves like a living human organ, it can serve as an advanced testbed for new drugs, allowing scientists to study how experimental therapies affect pancreatic tissue and hormone production without exposing patients to early-stage risks. This could accelerate the development of more precise and effective diabetes medications.

The next crucial milestone for the project will be clinical trials in humans. These studies will need to confirm safety, long-term function and the degree to which the bionic pancreas can normalise blood sugar control in real patients. If the results mirror those seen in large-animal models, the technology has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for type 1 diabetes and related pancreatic disorders, and to place Poland among the leaders in organ bioprinting innovation.