Advanced BioHealing, Inc announced that it will be completing the study of Dermagraft by May 2011.

Dermagraft is a cryopreserved human fibroblast-derived dermal substitute composed of fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, and a bioabsorbable scaffold. Dermagraft is manufactured from human fibroblast cells derived from newborn foreskin tissue. During the manufacturing process, the human fibroblasts are seeded onto a bioabsorbable polyglactin mesh scaffold. The fibroblasts proliferate to fill the interstices of this scaffold and secrete human dermal collagen, matrix proteins, growth factors, and cytokines to create a three-dimensional human dermal substitute containing metabolically active, living cells. Dermagraft does not contain macrophages, lymphocytes, blood vessels, or hair follicles.

This study randomly assigns patients with venous leg ulcers to receive standard therapy (compression) alone or compression plus Dermagraft. Dermagraft is a device containing live human fibroblasts grown on an absorbable Vicryl mesh. Patients are seen weekly until they heal or the 16-week treatment period is complete. Follow-up visits are conducted monthly for three months in order to assess patients for longer term safety. This 450 patient, phase III study is currently recruiting participants. The official title of the study is “A Prospective, Multi-Center, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Investigation of Dermagraft in Subjects With Venous Leg Ulcers DEVO-Trial”.