StrataGraft: A Human Skin Substitute for Burn Patients
Researchers and physicians at the University of Wisconsin have been instrumental in the development of groundbreaking new medical technology – the human skin substitute called StrataGraft, designed specifically to expedite the recovery of patients with severe burn injuries.
StrataGraft is an especially important technology because it provides a novel substitute for treatment of injured skin. Unlike synthetic substitutes or cadaver skin, StrataGraft's living, multilayered skin tissue contains all of the outer layers of the human skin. It is able to provide coverage to a wound and block out pathogens with the same ability of natural human skin.
StrataGraft consists of genetically engineered NIKS® cells, which are pathogen-free and incapable of forming tumors. These special cells were discovered at the University of Wisconsin in the laboratory of Dr. B. Lynn Allen-Hoffmann, and have since been replicated in mass quantities to produce new dermatologic solutions, including StrataGraft.
StrataGraft Clinical Trials
StrataGraft was approved by the FDA to undergo Phase I/II clinical trials to evaluate its safety and efficacy. In the first clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health, Stratagraft was used, instead of cadaver skin, as temporary covering for deep burn injuries prior to surgery. This clinical trial, conducted under the direction of Dr. Michael Schurr, achieved positive results.
The next Phase IIb clinical trial will test the effectiveness of Stratagraft as a permanent covering for those with less severe burns. Approval following a Phase III trial may mean the commercialization of StrataGraft, thus providing burn patients with a safe alternative to the preexisting technology and promoting their healing and recovery.