Seevix’s SVX™ Spider Silk: Stronger Yet Lighter Than Steel and Biocompatible
Replicating Naturally Occurring Spider Silk
On the grounds of Hadassah Hospital, in the new Jerusalem Bio Park, a company named Seevix Material Sciences Ltd. has successfully produced bona fide synthetic spider silk. The material has long been known to possess impressive qualities: it is six-times stronger than steel and one-fifth the weight. Dr. Shlomzion Shen, co-founder and CEO of the company, gave me a tour of its R&D and manufacturing facilities and explained the company’s technology and goals for the future.
How it Works
Seevix uses viruses to inject recombinant DNA into host cells’ genetic material, instructing them to produce the desired fibers. It then treats the cells with a harsh detergent, causing them to disintegrate, leaving behind only ultra-resilient SVX™ spider silk fibers. The fibers can then be used in any number of practical applications by mixing them into various materials. According to Shlomzion, “the addition of 5–25% SVX™ can yield materials up to 50 times stronger [than they were originally].”
Practical Uses
Uses for an ultra-strong and ultra-light fiber are endless. In fact, the potential applications are so many that Seevix has adopted a dual strategy: focus on very select markets and allow other companies to test SVX™ independently. Seevix will receive royalties if collaborators will then integrate SVX™ into their products.
Medical Product Uses
Shlomzion believes that currently, the best market for SVX™ is the medical industry, where there are many potential applications for the biocompatible fibers. For example, SVX™ can be used in 3D cell cultures for growing cells for laboratory testing (SVX™ is already being sold in Japan for this purpose.) The fibers could also be used in the future for tissue regeneration and wound repair. Additionally, Seevix is developing “next-generation surgical sutures,” which are stronger and thinner than existing sutures, thus reducing wound closure time and the likelihood of scarring. Shlomzion believes that Seevix’s revolutionary sutures will be used in many kinds of surgery, including cosmetic, orthopedic, and micro. The Seevix team has also used SVX™ to produce ultra-thin, strong meshes with potential for hernia treatment, and thinner catheter balloons for use in angioplasty surgery, which can penetrate smaller clogged blood vessels.
enriched IABP balloon; SVX™gro, a 3D culture scaffold; pure
SVX™ fibers; SVX™ enriched surgical sutures.” Image taken with permission from Seevix Material Sciences Ltd.
Kurabo Industries, a Japanese company, recently closed a deal with Seevix to utilize their fibers as scaffolds for R&D involving tissue engineering, drug discovery, and stem cell and cancer research.
On Jerusalem
With fifteen employees and plans to grow its workforce, Seevix has already accomplished a great deal. Shlomzion told me that the company has benefited significantly from its Jerusalem location. Jerusalem has provided the company with funds to recruit employees and advance its research, as well as future tax benefits. Seevix’s location in the Bio Park has been very helpful as well; Shlomzion explained that the company’s proximity to Hadassah Hospital has enabled it to work and consult with all of the hospital’s department heads and surgeons. Also, Seevix was one of the first companies to participate in Hebrew University’s BioGiv program, through which it received general mentorship and assistance involving equipment usage and training. The company’s basic technology was developed by Dr. Shmulik Ittah, the company’s CTO, during his MSc and Ph.D. studies at Hebrew University, and most of Seevix’s other employees studied at the University at one time or another.
To keep up with Seevix, check out their website by clicking here.
