In June 2025, the European Commission–funded research initiative BRAVƎ (Computational Biomechanics and Bioengineering 3D Printing for a Personalized Regenerative Biological Ventricular Assist Device) officially reached its conclusion, marking the successful closure of one of Europe’s most ambitious regenerative medicine projects.

Launched on 1 January 2020, BRAVƎ operated under the Horizon 2020 framework with a budget of €8 million, and ran until 30 June 2025. The project was coordinated by the Universidad de Navarra and brought together 14 partner institutions from six European countries. Its overarching aim was to deliver a novel, personalized Biological Ventricular Assist Device (BioVAD) that could provide durable regenerative support to damaged hearts, combining advances in stem-cell biology, computational modelling, 3D printing (specifically Melt Electrowriting, MEW), biomaterials and electromechanical stimulation techniques.

According to the project’s final reports and dissemination, all the key objectives set at the start of BRAVƎ were addressed—though with varying degrees of maturity—and delivered compelling outcomes that are likely to spur subsequent initiatives.

  • Design to trial of a human-size BioVAD: The consortium succeeded in designing and fabricating BioVAD prototypes at the scale required for translation, using MEW-printed scaffolds combined with hiPSC-derived cardiac cells.
  • Technology and regulatory framework: Efforts were made to ensure that the technological components could support future clinical translation, including the integration of bioreactors for maturation and regulatory planning.
  • Basic biological knowledge: The project delivered deeper insight into myocardial architecture, cell differentiation protocols, and the mechanics and electrophysiology of bioengineered constructs.
  • Economic viability & exploitation: Partners assessed market pathways, stakeholder engagement, and the identification of exploitable results for future use.
  • Patient voice and stakeholder interaction: The project engaged patient associations and stakeholders to align innovation with real clinical needs.

While some aspects remain at preclinical or proof-of-concept stage, the overall performance of BRAVƎ has been judged very successful, yielding dozens of publications, prototype demonstrations, and validated preclinical experiments in large-animal (porcine) ischemia models. The project also refined computational models of both natural and engineered myocardium using experimental data, guiding further improvements.

The closure of BRAVƎ does not mark an end, but rather the beginning of new opportunities. The project has significantly contributed to consolidating Europe’s capacity in the intersecting disciplines of bioengineering, biomaterials, computational modelling and personalized cardiovascular medicine. The consortium and participating institutions are actively exploring pathways for exploitation and commercialization of the project’s outputs.

Patent applications (for instance, in bioreactor chamber design) have already been initiated by partners such as Leartiker and the Universidad de Navarra.

Moreover, the scientific knowledge base, methodological innovations and collaborative networks established through BRAVƎ provide a robust foundation for follow-up projects. New initiatives may extend the matured BioVAD concept, translate it into early clinical trials, or repurpose its technologies (e.g. bioreactors, scaffolds, modelling pipelines) into adjacent fields of regenerative medicine.

Importantly, by successfully integrating engineering and life-science approaches in a complex translational challenge, BRAVƎ has helped strengthen the research ecosystem for bioengineering-based therapeutics in Europe. The project’s results are expected to inspire future funding calls and consortia focused on cardiovascular regeneration and personalized therapies.

In sum, BRAVƎ’s end in June 2025 closes a chapter distinguished by rigorous scientific advances and promising prototype achievements—but simultaneously opens an exciting path ahead, where the full potential of bioengineered cardiac therapies may yet be realized.