Methods and compositions for tissue regeneration

Patent Number: 7,449,333

Numerous groups are working on means of accelerating wound healing, or wound healing with minimal fibrosis.  For example, some have used mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit scar tissue formation, others have used gene therapy, such as transfection of HoxA3 and HoxD3. 

The current patent covers a cell preparation that can be used for regenerating tissues.  This preparation is esstentially a mix of extracellular matrix, mitotically inactivated (but alive) keratinocytes and fibroblasts, and thrombin.  The idea is that the cells administered can be used allogenically, and even if they get rejected by the alloimmune response, there will still be enough time for them to mediate their therapeutic effects. 

The patent covers administration methods of this composition of cells and ECM, methods such as making a paste or spraying onto the wound.  Additionally, immortalized cells are covered as well.   

This reminds me in some ways of one of Geron's patents where they use telomerase to transfect fibroblasts, to make ample supply of them that can be used allogeneically for wound healing.

View this patent on the USPTO website.