Will an implant-grade silicon 3D printer revolutionize Breast Cancer? Prayasta 3D Inventions Answers
In a conversation with the CEO & Founder of Prayasta 3D Inventions - Shilpi Sen, she explained the dynamics of the 3D breast implants for cancer survivors and the multi-dimensional world of being a women founder in medical technology.
As a teenager, Shilpi Sen was deeply affected by the loss of her maternal aunt to breast cancer. She witnessed firsthand the devastation it brought upon their family. Motivated by this, she started to seek answers revolving around breast cancer care and its impact on women.
This experience ignited a passion within them to make a tangible difference in the lives of breast cancer survivors. Shilpi Sen delved into personal research, driven by questions about the emotional and psychological challenges faced by survivors, particularly the impact of losing one or both breasts on their sense of self and societal perceptions of femininity.
These questions continued to weigh heavily on their mind, fueling her determination to find solutions. Years later, a fortunate encounter with Vikas Garg, a material scientist, opened her eyes to the potential of 3D printing technology in breast cancer treatment.
Shilipi wanted to amalgamate Vikas’s knowledge of 3D printing and materials with her own experience in communication to build a viable venture. In their research they they stumbled upon the fact that mastectomy patients had limited choices for prostheses or implants.
“To clarify, prostheses it is the synthetic part that goes inside a brasierre, while implants are surgically inserted, We also found the existing solutions are to be standardized.” explains Shilpi Sen.
Witnessing the critical need for improved prosthetic solutions for mastectomy survivors, they came together to create Prayasta 3D Inventions in 2017.
Their prototype focused on the breast reconstruction or breast augmentation aspect of 3D printing. However, upon realizing the absence of a 3D printer capable of printing implant-grade silicon anywhere in the world, they undertook the ambitious task of building one from scratch.
Shilpi Sen emphasizes the need for personalization when it comes to printing the implants.
“Think of it ! Would you wear a prosthetic eye that you bought from the ten available options and clearly smaller/larger than your eye on the other side? If you want, you can also wear an expensive sunglasses to hide it. How about an ear? Or a cheek prosthesis? If your answer is no, then shouldn’t women need a personalized solution for breast reconstruction?”, Shilpi says.
Despite this 3D printing also allows personalization in terms of weight so that body weight is distributed equally on both sides and there is no imbalance.
They highlight being the only company globally to have achieved the feat of 3D printing implant-grade silicon also owning the Patent # 371508 in July 2021.
SIMILAC P-250 the IMPLANT GRADE silicon printer is their patented technology behind breast implant printing and customization at a quality that is best suited for long-term and medical applications.
Building the personalized soft-tissue implants & prostheses with implant-grade 3D printer technology from scratch, posed both a source of pride and challenge because they lacked any reference points.
“When we developed the technology from the Scratch, then why restrict it only to one particular area? So we ventured into every possibility of soft tissue implants ” as told by Shilpi in her own words.
After tasting success with printing breast implants, they extended by testing to print a variety of soft tissue implants. Though the initial focus of printing the breast implants was completed they committed to printing more reflecting their commitment to innovation.
Currently, in the process of achieving quality management systems, PRAYASTA has patented the 3D printing of personalized breast implants. They are working on obtaining certifications for our prostheses, aiming to be commercially available within six months.
Grants and recognitions
| Date | Grant / Award | Source |
|2017 | Nidhi Prayas | Grant program named Nidhi Prayas |
| 2017 | Most Original Idea Startup Award | FLA INFOCOMM 2017, Kolkata |
| 2018 | Tide — Design Clinic MSME Center of Excellence at IISc — Tide (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) — Elevate Two (Karnataka startup government program) — TDVC — Sibri | Various Governmental and Private sources |
| 2018 | Start-Ups Club — DELL | Dell-powered Startup Award |
| 2019 | Biotech Industry Research Assistance Council(BIRAC) | Biotech Ignition Grant |
| 2021 | The Grand Challenge — SHE LOVES TECH | Second runner up |
| 2022 | National Technology Award | Recognition as winner of the National Startup Technology Award |
PRAYASTA addresses a crucial need in the aftermath of breast cancer treatments through their blogs and social media.
Breast Cancer survivors or patients who have received their diagnosis and treatment are the people who would require Breast implants through the following process roughly:
Step 1: Post-Treatment Evaluation Following surgery or the completion of chemotherapy and radiation, patients undergo evaluation to determine their post-treatment needs. This evaluation includes assessing the impact of the treatment on their bodies and identifying any physical alterations that may require intervention.
Step 2: Introduction to PRAYASTA Patients are introduced to PRAYASTA, an organization specializing in post-treatment support and rehabilitation. PRAYASTA offers a range of services tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient.
Step 3: Assessment of Body Requirements PRAYASTA professionals assess each patient’s body requirements, considering factors such as the type of surgery undergone, the extent of tissue removal, and the patient’s overall health condition. Based on this assessment, they determine whether implants or prostheses are suitable for the patient.
Step 4: Decision-Making Process Patients are presented with options for implants or prostheses based on their body requirements. Some patients may choose implants for cosmetic or functional reasons, while others may opt for prostheses to assist with mobility or body function.
While some may opt for implants, others, due to medical reasons, may not be advised to do so by their doctors. Despite common perceptions that a woman may not need anything post-surgery, not wearing a prosthesis or implant can lead to physical issues like changes in body posture and gait. Thus, the recommendation for a prosthesis is essential.
Step 5: Medical Considerations However, medical considerations play a crucial role in the decision-making process. Patients may be advised against certain interventions, such as implants, by their doctors due to underlying medical conditions or potential risks associated with the procedure. PRAYASTA works closely with healthcare providers to ensure that the chosen intervention aligns with the patient’s medical needs and overall well-being.
Implants and prostheses, previously available in India, were typically sourced from abroad, leading to significant wait times for women in need. This delay, along with concerns about leakage and deterioration, led many to opt for prostheses over implants.
WHY PRAYASTA IS THE ONLY GO-TO OPTION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS?
Unlike implants, which are permanently inserted into the body, prostheses offer the flexibility of being inserted or removed as needed(like an external breast pad).
Unlike standard options filled with saline or silicone, their personalized implants and prostheses are gel-proof and liquid-proof, ensuring durability and a perfect fit- tailored to each individual’s shape and size, eliminating alignment issues commonly encountered with off-the-shelf solutions.
With our personalized approach, individuals no longer need to settle for one-size-fits-all solutions, ensuring comfort, functionality, and longevity. Apart from breast prostheses and implants, a wide range of soft tissue implants, such as Mallard, Chin, Trachea, lips, and ears, can now be personalized for individuals.
These personalized implants have been successfully printed and can be tailored to each person’s unique needs and preferences.
However, the company has been fortunate to secure various government grants like Nidhi Prayas, Biotech Ignition Grant from the Biotech Industry Research Assistance Council(BIRAC), and Startup Karnataka(as described in the above table) to support its endeavours. The investment required for a startup prototype can vary significantly depending on the product or service being developed.
For instance, in the case of Prayasta’s advanced medical technology, substantial funding, potentially exceeding $100 million, is needed due to the complexity of materials and regulatory approvals involved.
However, for software-based startups or online service providers, significantly lower funding requirements may suffice. Therefore, it’s challenging to provide a one-size-fits-all estimate, as the funding needs are highly dependent on the nature and scale of the venture.
“Not being from a science background, having left science after class ten. With over 15 years of experience in communications and branding, I lacked initial understanding in technical areas. Despite completing a startup course in Bangalore, the technical aspects remained challenging, especially when it was just Vikas and myself. Initially, terms like material scientist seemed alien to me.”says Shilpi Sen about the challenges she faced. “While Vikas patiently explained technology, my journey differed greatly from his.”
3D printing courses were scarce in India, making it difficult to find skilled hires. As a result, we’ve had to compromise and invest time in training our team from scratch, given our project’s budget constraints.
”We still face challenges, particularly in securing the significant financial input required for our company’s operations. Regulatory processes also pose hurdles.”
Despite these obstacles, potential revenue streams were explored, such as selling our specialized 3D printers to hospitals or manufacturers with existing regulatory approvals. Prayasta provided services like pre-surgical models and teaching aids. While these initiatives generated some revenue, the main focus was to be promoted through word of mouth.
Despite the small team size, they managed to build trust with silicon vendors, making it easier to procure the specialized materials needed for work.
The Current setup is housed in the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, in collaboration with other departments.
Although they haven’t fully commercialized our main products yet, they made significant progress with initial testing and documentation.
“Manage and navigate a situation.” Is what shilpi says when they face challenges left , right and centre.
Throughout the discussion, the importance of accountability within the healthcare sector emerged as a central theme.
She acknowledged that healthcare endeavours require a meticulous approach due to the high stakes involved — “One cannot simply experiment arbitrarily when dealing with matters of human health. “
This inherent accountability serves as a cornerstone, grounding healthcare startups in a commitment to patient well-being and safety. Despite the myriad challenges faced by healthcare startups, there was a prevailing sense of optimism regarding their potential for longevity and growth.
Unlike other industries where rapid rise and fall are commonplace, healthcare startups often take time to mature and establish themselves within the industry. This deliberate pace not only ensures sustainability but also fosters a culture of responsibility and thoroughness.
A notable point of discussion was the potential impact of government initiatives aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing in India. Such initiatives have the potential to significantly benefit startups like the one being discussed, providing them with valuable support and resources to thrive in a competitive market landscape.
This realization served as a catalyst, propelling the speaker into the challenging yet rewarding world of entrepreneurship.
Despite the initial hurdles and uncertainties, Shilpi shared anecdotes highlighting their active involvement in various aspects of the startup, from understanding patient needs to hands-on participation in equipment assembly.
These experiences underscored the resilience and determination required to navigate the complexities of healthcare entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship is not just about building a business. It’s about creating a value. Solving the real problem and then making a positive impact.”
During the discussion, Shilpi Sen also highlighted the absence of certain certifications, which she acknowledged as a potential hurdle. However, she noted that the 3D printing process had not compromised the quality of the material, instilling hope for smooth approval processes in the future.
The prototypes were praised for their natural feel, lightweight design, and absence of leakage concerns. Overall, the feedback received thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, with no significant criticisms raised against the products or prototypes developed by Prayasta.
Their impact on society could be seen reflected in the number of testimonials and survivor stories on their Prayasta website.
Looking ahead, Prayasta’s vision extends towards enhancing accessibility, with plans to prioritize affordability shortly. This strategic direction aligns seamlessly with their mission of empowering individuals and ensuring that their innovative solutions positively impact as many lives as possible.
Making the product affordable to every sector of society is the plan for PRAYASTA 3D Inventions in the pipeline.
