Andrea Acebes, CEO and co-founder of PlaBiTe: “The support of CDTI Innovation is being vital to be able to transform the regenerative potential of platelets into advanced bioproducts”

Regenerative medicine faces the challenge of transforming complex biological processes into reproducible, safe and scalable therapeutic solutions. In this field, PlaBiTe works, a biotechnological spin-off born in Asturias and promoted from the scientific environment of the University of Oviedo and the Foundation for Biosanitary Research and Innovation of the Principality of Asturias (FINBA), which develops, with the support of CDTI Innovation through the NEOTEC initiative, bioproducts based on human platelets for use in cell cultures and regenerative medicine.

According to Andrea Acebes, CEO and co-founder of PlaBiTe, the project is born from the desire to transfer to the market the knowledge generated during years of research in platelet derivatives in the platelet research laboratory of the Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), led by Laura Gutiérrez, current CSO of the company. 
 

Andrea Acebes and Laura Gutiérrez, founders of PlaBiTe

During this tour, the team detected a clear need within the biomedical field: to have solutions based on more defined platelets and of universal application.

Along with this, PlaBiTe identified another relevant limitation in biomedical research: the high dependence on components of animal origin, such as fetal bovine serum, widely used in cell culture despite its problems of variability, traceability, safety and the growing ethical issues associated with its use. “From this basis we decided to transfer the knowledge generated in the academic environment to applied solutions, developing bioproducts based on human platelets that allow to improve cell cultures and open new therapeutic routes in regenerative medicine,” says Acebes.

With this combination of scientific experience and applied vision, the company began to develop its own technology focused on the biomedical use of platelets.
 

Harnessing the regenerative potential of platelets

Platelets play a key role in the body’s natural repair mechanisms. When an injury occurs, they release growth factors, cytokines, and other bioactive molecules that coordinate tissue healing and regeneration processes.

The approach of PlaBiTe starts from that natural mechanism, but seeks to bring it to a more controlled format. “What makes this strategy unique is that it allows a natural physiological mechanism to be transferred to an advanced therapeutic format, overcoming some of the limitations of traditional platelet based approaches,” says Acebes.

Currently, many regenerative therapies based on platelets use autologous products, that is, obtained from the patient's own blood. This approach may present limitations since the quality and functionality of platelets varies between individuals and may be affected in patients with chronic pathologies, such as diabetes or vascular diseases.

In this context, PlaBiTe works on products that do not depend on the specific conditions of each patient. “Our approach breaks this limitation by allowing us to develop standardised products that are independent of the patient’s condition and with a controlled composition,” the CEO said.

The company’s focus is especially on areas where there are still significant unmet clinical needs, such as chronic wounds, a problem that affects millions of people and poses a major challenge to healthcare systems. Its application could also be extended to many other indications of different clinical specialties. 
 

Platelet secretomas: a technology of its own

One of the pillars of the project is the technology developed by the company to obtain platelet secretomies. PlaBiTe reproduces in the laboratory the natural process of platelet activation to induce the release of molecules related to tissue repair. As Acebes explains: “Our technology allows us to obtain an optimized cocktail of key molecules, such as growth factors and healing mediators, with a defined and reproducible composition.”

The differential value lies in the control of the process. PlaBiTe adjusts the activation conditions of the platelets, which allows to combine the secretome from a certain number of donors in order to reduce the variability between batches and guarantee the stability and biological functionality of the products, an aspect especially relevant in advanced biomedical applications. “We are moving towards more predictable and comparable solutions between patients,” the CEO summarizes.
 

A project oriented to research and clinical application

The project supported by CDTI Innovation focuses on developing and validating a new generation of platelet derived bioproducts for advanced cell culture and regenerative medicine. To this end, PlaBiTe works on improving the processes of obtaining and formulating these derivatives through its own methodology based on the control of platelet activation and the functional characterization of the secretoma.

In parallel, it contemplates the validation of these bioproducts in different cell models and the development of robust quality controls that allow progress towards their future commercialization. “One of the key goals is to generate products that can be integrated into both research pipelines and therapeutic developments focused on unmet clinical needs, such as chronic wounds,” explains Acebes.

The initial strategy focuses on products aimed at the research field, especially related to serum-free cell culture, in a context of growing demand for more defined and less dependent alternatives to supplements of animal origin within biomedical research and bioproduction.

In this sense, the project also connects with more sustainable innovation models aligned with the 2030 Agenda, especially in areas linked to health, biomedical innovation and the development of more responsible processes in research.
 

Laboratory work at PlaBiTe, a Spanish biotechnology company specializing in the development of bioproducts and advanced platelet-based therapies for regenerative medicine
 

Next Steps: Toward Preclinical Studies

The results obtained open up new lines of development for PlaBiTe. Among the next milestones is the launch of its first bioproduct aimed at cell culture, which will allow to validate the technology on the market, collect the experience of researchers and users and continue moving towards platelet based supplements adapted to specific applications.

With this roadmap, PlaBiTe proposes to move from the first applications in research towards scenarios of greater technological and regulatory requirements. “In the medium and long term, the goal is to evolve towards solutions that meet the regulatory requirements for clinical use, positioning our technologies in advanced therapies,” says the CEO.

In parallel, the company works on adapting its processes to the quality and safety standards required for future clinical production and plans to start regulated preclinical studies focused on a biological drug for the treatment of chronic wounds. “This progress will be possible thanks to the work carried out during the NEOTEC project together with a partner specialized in biotechnological production, which has allowed us to advance in the first batches under conditions close to those required for clinical use and to lay the foundations for future regulated manufacturing,” explains Acebes.
 

The challenge of industrial scaling

In biotechnology, it is not enough to demonstrate that a technology works in the laboratory: it is also necessary to move towards processes that can be produced safely, reproducibly and under demanding regulatory standards. Therefore, scaling is one of the strategic pillars of PlaBiTe, which works on optimizing its processes so that they can be progressively transferred to GMP environments, that is, good manufacturing practices.

To this end, the company collaborates with specialized industrial partners, including CDMOs such as Histocell, and advances in collaborations with national and European reference transfusion centers to guarantee the supply of platelets under criteria of quality and traceability. “We are working on the development of our own future facilities with white rooms, which will allow us to continue advancing production under GMP conditions,” explains Acebes.

All of this contributes to reducing the technological risk associated with the transition from research to future industrial production.
 

The role of CDTI Innovation in the growth of PlaBiTe

In this tour, the collaboration with the CDTI Innovation has allowed PlaBiTe to reinforce its technological development, advance in the validation of its bioproducts and consolidate strategic collaborations in a key stage for the company. “The support of CDTI Innovation has been key to boosting our development in early stages,” says the CEO. This support has also contributed to strengthening PlaBiTe’s position within the innovative ecosystem and opening up new growth opportunities. “This institutional support has also been decisive in improving our positioning and facilitating access to new sources of funding, both public and private,” adds Acebes.

The evolution of PlaBiTe thus reflects the potential of the transfer of scientific knowledge towards innovative biomedical solutions and the role of NEOTEC in the growth of technological companies in strategic areas such as regenerative medicine and advanced therapies, where public-private collaboration and support for science-based companies are key to bringing new regenerative solutions closer to the health field.
 

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is a public company dependent on the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027, the CDTI provided 2,423 million euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

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