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Biological agent discovered for better healing of skin wounds
Austrian researchers discovered a few years ago that APOSEC, a substance derived from white blood cells, can contribute to the improved regeneration of heart attacks. This drug appears to allow new forms of therapy for skin wounds.
Substance of white blood cells
For smaller wounds, it is usually sufficient to stick a plaster on it or to provide for faster wound healing with simple home remedies. However, chronic wounds do not get very far. In such cases APOSEC could help in the future. It is a substance derived from white blood cells that was developed by a team of scientists from Austria. The promising drug is currently in the clinical phase of the approval process for a new drug for external wound healing.
For small wounds, it is usually sufficient to just stick a plaster on it. Chronic wounds do not get very far. Here could help a new drug that is derived from white blood cells. (Image: animaflora / fotolia.com) Newly developed drug
Until a newly developed drug is used, it must undergo a lengthy approval procedure.
This is also the case with the biological substance APOSEC developed and patented at MedUni Vienna by Hendrik Jan Ankersmit and his team, which consists of soluble proteins, exosomes and lipids from white blood cells, according to a statement.
These must first be irradiated and release proteins during cell death, a "secretome". This has a multiple therapeutic efficacy, as the research team has already been able to show in preclinical experiments.
It has an antibacterial effect, induces the neoplasm of vessels and activates wound healing.
The cells (white blood cells) can thus be understood as a "bioreactor" which secretes the secretome - the cellular component is discarded after a culture period in the test tube.
The therapeutic effect comes about only through a variety of separate ingredients.
Large application width
The current Phase 1 clinical trial will use human APOSEC manufactured under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) conditions approved by the AGES (Austrian Agency for Food Security) for human clinical trials.
The accompanying Marsyas-1 study is the world's first skin-based secretory-based regeneration study, and has now been published in Nature Scientific Reports.
The aim of the study was to demonstrate the safety of the drug in dermatological wounds. The blood cells required for this were obtained autologous, that is, from the body's own material of the subjects.
Now, the research team is working on the production of APOSEC from allogeneic cell material, ie from foreign donors.
In this way, low cost, high volume production would be possible and the drug could be available in freeze dried condition for immediate use.
Based on the results of research so far, APOSEC promises a wide range of applications, including heart attacks, myocarditis, strokes and spinal cord injuries. (Ad)