Joana Carvalho, PhD,  managing science editor—

Children with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) who accept their condition and emotionally detach themselves from it tend to have a better quality of life than children who are very emotional and use other strategies to cope with their disease, a Dutch study has found. Likewise, when the parents of these…

When injected into the bloodstream, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) — cells that can grow into different cell types and have potent regeneration properties — can temporarily reduce pain, skin itching and blistering, and improve the quality of life of children and adults with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa…

Scientists have identified two new variants in the COL7A1 gene associated with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) in a three-year-old Chinese girl. The findings expand the spectrum of known mutations causing the disease and also highlight the usefulness of two methods of genetic analyses — clinical exome…

When applied directly over skin wounds, the antibiotic gentamicin can restore the production of laminin 332 and promote wound closure in people with generalized severe junctional epidermolysis bullosa (GS-JEB), a Phase 1/2 trial shows. The findings were reported in the study “Gentamicin Induces Laminin…

SkinGun, a device designed to gently spray stem cells onto the skin of severe burn victims, is being tested in an early study of a potential gene therapy for people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The preclinical work, underway at King’s College…

All healthy volunteers participating in InMed Pharmaceuticals’ Phase 1 trial of INM-755, an investigational cannabinol cream for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), have completed treatment and clinical evaluation. InMed expects to report final results of the trial, which was conducted in The Netherlands, later this year. The announcement came after…

People with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) often use topical skin care products and need to be aware that products containing antimicrobial agents, and bath water with high concentrations of cleansing additives, could carry risks, a study reported. The study, “Skin cleansing and topical product use in patients…

Krystal Biotech is opening its second gene therapy facility, called Astra, to support the production and potential commercialization of B-VEC, the company’s gene therapy for people with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). The new cGMP (current good manufacturing practices) facility is based in Findlay Township, Pennsylvania. It…

Abeona Therapeutics has begun its Phase 3 VIITAL trial evaluating EB-101, a gene-corrected cell therapy for the treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), the company recently announced. An institutional review board at Stanford University approved the start of the pivotal…

After its recent clinical hold by regulators, the Phase 3 VIITAL trial has been given the green light to investigate EB-101, a gene-corrected cell therapy for people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Abeona Therapeutics, the company developing EB-101, plans to start VIITAL in early 2020. RDEB…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to approve the initiation of Abeona Therapeutics‘s Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its gene-corrected cell therapy EB-101 for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The clinical hold, the company explained, is…

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals announced the first patient enrolled in a Phase 2 clinical trial of RGN-137, the company’s investigational topical gel for treating epidermolysis bullosa (EB), achieved complete wound healing. RGN-137 is a gel form medication intended to accelerate wound healing when applied directly on skin lesions. It is…