Biorep Technologies Marks 40th Anniversary of the Ricordi® Chamber, Reinforcing Its Leadership in Life Sciences Manufacturing Excellence

 

-        Landmark pancreatic islet isolation device has been shipped by Biorep Technologies to more than 23 countries and contributed to approximately 630 diabetes research studies[i]

-        The Ricordi^® Chamber reflects Biorep Technologies’ decades-long track record of clinically impactful device development

-        The Company continues to advance next-generation life sciences platforms through clinical engineering innovation

 

MIAMI, FL, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Biorep Technologies, a leading medical device contract design and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with more than 30 years of experience enabling scientific progress in diabetes, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine through advanced cell and tissue isolation systems, and providing development and manufacturing expertise from concept through commercialization, today announced the 40th anniversary of the Ricordi^® Chamber, a breakthrough device that revolutionized pancreatic islet isolation and helped shape modern diabetes research.

 

Over the past three decades, Biorep has played a critical role in refining, manufacturing, and scaling the Ricordi^® Chamber, ensuring it could be deployed consistently across research institutions and clinical programs worldwide.

 

“This anniversary reflects more than the longevity of a device, it represents decades of disciplined engineering, manufacturing rigor, and a commitment to translating innovation into real-world clinical impact,” said Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies. “The Ricordi^® Chamber embodies what Biorep does best: taking transformative ideas and building the systems, processes, and platforms that allow them to change lives.”

 

A 40-Year Engineering Legacy That Transformed Diabetes Research

 

In 1985, Camillo Ricordi, M.D., FNAI, conceptualized the Ricordi^® Chamber, introducing a novel approach to isolating insulin-producing cells from the pancreas. While Dr. Ricordi laid the scientific foundation, Ramón E. Poo, founder of Biorep Technologies and longtime collaborator with the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami, brought the manufacturing discipline and engineering precision needed to turn a laboratory concept into a reliable, scalable bioprocessing device.

Together, they transformed a lab-built prototype into a standardized platform capable of consistent global deployment, establishing the Ricordi^® Chamber as a cornerstone of diabetes research. For Poo, the work has always been deeply personal: his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of three, fueling a lifelong commitment to advancing solutions that could change the course of the disease.

 

“With nearly 600 million people worldwide living with diabetes and more than 3.4 million deaths each year, the urgency for innovation has never been greater,” said Dr. Ricordi,  Professor and Chief of the Division of Cellular Transplantation, Department of Surgery; Director of the Cell Transplant Center and Director Emeritus of the DRI. “The Ricordi^® Chamber was designed to answer a fundamental question: can we isolate and transplant insulin-producing cells to restore function? By keeping the patent royalty-free and partnering with Biorep to ensure high-quality, consistent manufacturing, we chose accessibility over exclusivity. Forty years later, this technology remains foundational to islet research and next-generation cell therapies.”

 

Enabling Global Progress in Diabetes Research

 

Today, Biorep supports virtually every major clinical and research islet program worldwide.   The company has shipped Ricordi^® Chamber devices to more than 23 countries, serving over one hundred unique customers. Through its collaboration with the Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP), Biorep has helped distribute more than 300 million islets globally, supporting approximately 630 research studies and contributing to 1,119 scientific publications[i]. The platform has enabled landmark milestones in diabetes treatment, including the Edmonton Protocol and the scientific groundwork behind the first FDA-approved cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes.

 

Beyond its historical significance, the Ricordi^® Chamber represents Biorep’s broader expertise in translating prototypes into reproducible, medical-grade devices. Over time, the company has established standardized materials, precision tolerances, and modular configurations that ensure consistent performance across manufacturing runs, while allowing the platform to evolve alongside emerging clinical and translational needs.

 

“We are carrying forward a deep-rooted legacy of disciplined engineering and continuous refinement,” Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies, added. “For more than three decades, Biorep has served as the manufacturing engine behind the Ricordi^® Chamber’s success. It is an honor to continue building devices that enable scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes around the world.”

 

In recognition of the Ricordi® Chamber’s 40-year milestone, Biorep Technologies is releasing a three-part video series exploring the device’s evolution from concept to global impact. The videos are available individually and as a curated playlist:

·         A Timeline of Discovery and Innovation
An overview of the scientific, clinical, and manufacturing milestones that shaped the Ricordi® Chamber over four decades.

·         The Design Process
A behind-the-scenes look at the engineering decisions, manufacturing rigor, and iterative refinements that transformed a laboratory concept into a globally standardized platform.

·         Global Impact: The Ricordi^® Chamber 
Examines the worldwide adoption of the Ricordi® Chamber and its role in enabling diabetes research and cell-therapy innovation worldwide.

Watch the full three-part series here: Ricordi^® Chamber 40th Anniversary Video Playlist

 

From Legacy Platform to Future-Ready Systems

 

The Ricordi^® Chamber has also served as the foundation for Biorep’s next-generation platforms. In diabetes research, the company has expanded the technology into a new integrated system: the PRISM platform. The PRISM system is a closed, modular, and fully automated laboratory platform designed to standardize islet isolation through controlled enzyme processing, sterile fluid handling, and validated, reproducible workflows. This system forms a comprehensive, data-driven platform designed to bring greater consistency, traceability, and control to islet isolation, key requirements for future clinical translation.

 

“Everything we are building today is informed by three decades of learning how to engineer biology at scale,” said Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies. “While diabetes remains a core focus, Biorep has also developed instruments used in more than 40,000[ii] cardiovascular, oncology, ENT, dental, and plastic surgery procedures worldwide. Our role is to help MedTech innovators turn complex ideas into dependable, real-world solutions.”

 

Advancing Medical Devices from Concept to Care

 

As a single-source partner dedicated exclusively to medical devices and laboratory instruments, Biorep collaborates with healthcare professionals, researchers, and innovators to design, develop, and manufacture technologies that improve patient care worldwide. Backed by FDA registration, an ISO 13485-certified quality management system, integrated design controls, and scalable manufacturing capabilities, Biorep enables the seamless transition of complex technologies from concept to commercialization.

 

With the Ricordi^® Chamber as a defining example of what disciplined engineering and long-term scientific collaboration can achieve, Biorep continues to apply these same principles of standardization, reproducibility, and regulatory rigor to the development of next-generation medical device platforms. As the company continues its work in multiple clinical areas, including diabetes, ENT, dental, surgery, oncology and cardiovascular disease, Biorep remains focused on advancing innovation that is not only novel, but reliable, scalable, and built for real-world clinical impact.

 

About Biorep Technologies, Inc.

 

Biorep Technologies, Inc. is a privately held medical technology company specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of regulated medical devices, including advanced cell and tissue isolation systems for applications in diabetes, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine. With more than 30 years of experience bringing complex med tech innovations from concept to commercialization, Biorep provides end to end capabilities spanning prototyping, design validation, assembly, and scalable manufacturing, all within a single FDA registered and ISO 13485-certified quality management system. Through its collaborative approach and deep domain expertise, the company helps global med tech innovators navigate regulatory complexity and accelerate time to market. Headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida, Biorep is committed to advancing medical technologies that improve patient outcomes worldwide. For more information, visit www.biorep.com & www.biorepdiabetes.com. For more information on the Diabetes Research Institute, visit www.diabetesresearch.org. 

 

Media Contact

 

Biorep Technologies, Inc.

info@biorep.com