{"id":32306,"date":"2019-10-11T15:45:17","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T19:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=32306"},"modified":"2024-07-02T17:12:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T17:12:40","slug":"rahima-benhabbour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=32306","title":{"rendered":"Personalized drug delivery in 3D"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a mission for innovation and translational science, Rahima Benhabbour is using 3D-printing technology and her startup company AnelleO to create a breakthrough in women\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

\"Rahima
Photo by Sarah Daniels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Rahima Benhabbour has always been an advocate for women\u2019s health issues. As an assistant professor in the UNC\/NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering<\/a> and an adjunct professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy<\/a>, her passion is to develop innovative technologies that prevent HIV infections and other health conditions in women.<\/p>\n

As fate would have it, watching a TED talk featuring global 3D printing company Carbon was the inspiration she needed to jumpstart her innovative idea. As she watched Carbon CEO and Carolina\u2019s Chancellor\u2019s Eminent Professor of Chemistry Joe DeSimone demonstrate his 3D printer on stage, her mind quickly turned. She began to wonder how she could apply 3D printing technology to intravaginal rings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from North Africa. I\u2019m a woman. The thought of helping women \u2013 some that don\u2019t have a way of protecting themselves or controlling their lives \u2013 that\u2019s my ultimate passion,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a dream for me to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she watched the 3D printer at work, Benhabbour saw how it could quickly print intricate features and asked herself, \u201cWhat if we could add those intricate features to an IVR, customizing them for drug delivery?\u201d<\/p>\n

And with that, AnelleO was born. An advocate for women\u2019s health issues, Benhabbour wanted meaning behind the name for her startup. \u201cAnelleo\u201d means ring in Italian, and Elle is \u201cher\u201d in French. The letter O\u00a0represents the ring the company makes. All put together, it means \u201ca ring for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Engineering personalized care<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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Currently, women seeking to use IVRs are given a one-size-fits-all product. By creating an alternative that is not only efficient in drug delivery but can be customized to women and their individual needs, Benhabbour is making more personalized and effective care a reality.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike traditional technology, 3D printing gives us the ability and engineering to play around with the design and properties of a product. We can engineer parts that would not have been possible before,\u201d she said. \u201cThe main goal of developing this 3D technology is to have the ability to change the ways in which women\u2019s products are manufactured and designed. And the applications for the technology are endless \u2013 including prevention of HIV, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since launching in 2016, AnelleO continues to grow and work on its first product, AnelleO PRO, a once-a-month progesterone-releasing ring for infertility and assisted reproductive technology. Current products approved for progesterone supplementation are limited to messy and unpleasant vaginal gels or inserts and painful IM injections that have to be administered daily. Designed to safely and steadily release progesterone over an extended duration, AnelleO PRO could potentially replace current therapies and impact more than 1.5 million women.<\/p>\n

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When working on AnelleO, Benhabbour faced hurdles shared by other Carolina faculty who launch startups, while trying to balance teaching and research responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a faculty member, this would not have been a dream come true for me without massive support from Carolina,\u201d she said. \u201cI learned how to grow a company and be an academic professor at the same time. The mentality of promoting faculty entrepreneurship is unique to Carolina. It\u2019s really unique.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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A kickstart from campus resources<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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One resource instrumental in helping Benhabbour get the company started was the KickStart Venture Services<\/a> Commercialization Award, which is part of Innovate Carolina\u2019s campus-wide effort to translate discoveries made in Carolina\u2019s academic laboratories into products and services that can benefit people in North Carolina and around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cKickStart Venture Services gave us a \u2018kickstart.\u2019 You may have an idea but no funding. KickStart helps make connections and gets things moving while serving as an ongoing resource,\u201d she said. \u201cThe main hurdle has been to find business leads. KickStart helps faculty launch and carry their startups because we\u2019re too busy in our academic lives to be the lead of a company. We need that support with the business know-how. That support has been tremendous.\u201d<\/p>\n

A critical source of funding came from the Eshelman Institute for Innovation<\/a>at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. The institute provided a $200,000 grant titled \u201cFabrication of Geometrically Complex Intravaginal Rings by Continuous Liquid Interface Production 3D Printing Technology\u201d that helped Benhabbour initially create the technology. Such financial backing, along with the additional entrepreneurial support from the Eshelman Institute for Innovation in partnership with KickStart and the broader Innovate Carolina team, bolstered Benhabbour\u2019s early efforts to bring her concept to life.<\/p>\n

The Office of Technology Commercialization<\/a> team \u2013 also part of the Innovate Carolina initiative \u2013 assisted with guidance on patents and licensing, while helping Benhabbour navigate conflicts of interest. Benhabbour also participated in the Faculty Entrepreneurship Workshop<\/a>, an annual, invite-only event for UNC-Chapel Hill faculty hosted by Innovate Carolina<\/a>. Nominated by deans, workshop participants are invited based on the promise they show toward entrepreneurial thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs scientists, we like to have the ability to think and get our brains to the point of thinking through new things. Because of the workshop, I\u2019m now implementing design thinking in my lab,\u201d she said. \u201cI used to have a journal club meeting with my lab, selecting two people to pick a news article or journal publication. They present those along with what the labs did well and what they could have done better. After the workshop, we now focus on design thinking. We ideate on new ideas and new technologies.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Benhabbour, it\u2019s gratifying to see the many female student scientists who work in her lab contribute to solving the health issues of other women while applying the design thinking principles she brought back from the workshop.<\/p>\n

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Innovation through collaboration<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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In growing AnelleO, Benhabbour is\u00a0also\u00a0thankful for the many opportunities presented for\u00a0collaboration with different schools and departments across campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of the ongoing projects I have in my lab are in a silo. Everything is collaborative,\u201d she said. \u201cOne of the most attractive things about Carolina is to have world-class experts in the field to collaborate with. The sky is the limit. Go and innovate. Go and see how far you can get. Taking advantage of the expertise around me is what helped launch AnelleO, allowing for the creation of a product that could make a difference in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Benhabbour continues to make strides as an entrepreneur, she is embracing the innovation journey and gaining valuable insights along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor faculty looking to spin off a company, always start by speaking with other faculty who have gone through the process. Knowing what to expect prepares you for doing it right,\u201d she said. \u201cCan you do it or not? Is it something you want to do? Is this the right time in your career and personal life? It takes time and effort, and it depends on your stamina and passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

For faculty members hesitant to pursue that big idea, Benhabbour admits it can be hard but offers encouraging advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard for an academic \u2013 you always have questions. What I\u2019ve learned is that if you have an idea, put it out there and talk to multiple people. Don\u2019t stop with yourself and question your idea,\u201d she said. \u201cGet it out there, and see what the potential is for your idea as opposed to looking at the hurdles. Instead of looking at how something won\u2019t work, just think of what it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

By Innovate Carolina<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a mission for innovation and translational science, Rahima Benhabbour is using 3D-printing technology and her startup company AnelleO to create a breakthrough in women\u2019s health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":32307,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,33,21,34],"tags":[24,84,56,36],"class_list":["post-32306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-media-news","category-news","category-news-archive","tag-carolina","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-stem","tag-unc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32306"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49650,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32306\/revisions\/49650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}