Cell harvesting device treats burns and vitiligo

Regenerative medicine company Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) has reported that its ReCell autologous cell harvesting device effectively reduces the occurrence of long-term scarring and itching symptoms associated with paediatric burn treatment compared to various treatment modalities.

At the American Burn Association’s 48th Annual Meeting, the company reported on one of the first studies to explore long-term outcomes in 100 paediatric patients with partial-thickness scalds, conducted at the Pinderfields Hospital Regional Burns Unit in the UK. The patients, followed for 3–4 years, were treated with five different treatment modalities: ReCell with conventional dressings; ReCell with biological dressings; biological dressings; conventional dressings; and split-thickness skin grafting.

The results showed that ReCell in combination with biological dressings was the most effective modality in terms of scar outcomes. Of the patients receiving split-thickness skin grafts, an 80% incidence of scarring was reported. This was reduced to 50% in patients who were treated with biological dressings alone. The incidence of scarring was 25% for those receiving ReCell with conventional dressings, and the lowest incidence, 22%, was observed for those treated with ReCell combined with biological dressings.

Patients complained of a higher level of itchiness (18%) with biological dressings (without ReCell), compared with 11% for ReCell with biological dressings and 0% for ReCell with conventional dressings. The researchers concluded that the treatment route combining biological dressings and Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES) generated by ReCell is the optimal wound-healing environment and provides reduced patient discomfort as the wound re-epithelialises.

“Scarring and itching are constant issues for our patient group, and we should always consider that about half of burns in Europe happen to children, who will have to endure these outcomes for life,” noted Avita CEO Adam Kelliher. “Proving long-term benefit is of real significance.”

The presentation came soon after Avita demonstrated ReCell at a series of conferences in China investigating treatments for the skin condition vitiligo. More than 300 Chinese dermatology experts attended the presentations in the cities of Guangzhou, Chengdu and Giuyang, which were aimed at explaining how the medical device can treat pigmentation disorders.

Avita’s approach works by delivering viable, pigment-producing cells harvested from a piece of the patient’s own normally pigmented skin and is administered by spraying the cells onto the affected area. The conference series saw Dr Albert Wolkerstorfer review results from a randomised clinical trial done at the Netherlands Institute for Pigment Disorders (SNIP), which showed a ReCell-treated group achieve 78% repigmentation, compared with 0% in the control group.

“The excellent presentations about how ReCell can be wisely used for large-area vitiligo patients make us more confident to include ReCell surgical treatment as a routine therapy in all vitiligo hospitals of our group,” said Zhongping Meng from the Borun Group, one of China’s leaders in vitiligo treatment. “Many thanks to ReCell for bringing benefit to more and more Chinese vitiligo patients.“

Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) shares were trading 3.85% higher at $0.135 as of around 2 pm on Friday.