Prolonged Field Care and Forward Deployment of Cadaver Skin-Like Wound Covers in the Combat Theater
Abstract
The Topic Area addressed is 3b: Wound Healing - healing acute burns. Applicability and Impact: Cadaver skin is the preferred wound cover for acute burns and is frequently used in the hospital setting. However, the requirements to keep cadaver skin viable and fresh are impractical in military operational settings and other austere environments. Because of disease transmission risk, mammalian sourced skin substitutes undergo viral-inactivation with harsh detergents that remove most soluble skin components, leaving behind a matrix of structural proteins only. As no disease transmission risk exists between fish skin and humans, viral screening and viral-inactivation with detergents is not required during processing. The natural structure (and impression) of the skin is therefore preserved, leaving the naturally occurring omega 3 fatty acids intact in the material, making the fish skin "cadaver-skin like." Fish skin sheets can be manufactured from small sizes up to sizes that cover complete body parts. Shelf life is 5 years, which combined with its cost-effectiveness, makes it possible to stockpile large quantities of the material for mass burn scenarios and surges in demand. Kerecis is engaged in an ongoing project with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research to explore how burns can be treated with Kerecis Omega3 and stem cells. The results demonstrated that stem cells from an actual human burn victim proliferated and housed in Kerecis Omega3. This research and partnership with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research will be continued in this project. Clinical Applications, Benefits, and Risks: Some people are allergic to fish. The molecule that causes allergy is located in the flesh of the fish but not in the skin. Contamination could however occur during manufacturing, and to minimize such risk, patients with fish allergy will be excluded from the trial. Timeline to Outcome: The projected timeframe for this project is 27 months, with the outcome being a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved burn treatment product from fish skin that will bring cadaver skin-like treatment to injured Service members in theaters of war. Benefits: Spin-on of a commercially available, FDA-approved fish-based skin product to treat Service members where cadaver skin is not regularly available. The U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and Kerecis will continue to work as partners to validate this strategy. Since Kerecis is already working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, other Department of Defense agencies, and First Responder organizations, the results of this project can more broadly provide benefit to Service members, U.S. citizens, and taxpayers beyond the immediate scope of this Announcement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1620045
Entities
People
- Hilmar Kjartansson
Organizations
- Kerecis
- United States Army