News

Low levels of zinc — an essential mineral that supports wound healing — in people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) are linked to worse disease, poorer nutritional status, and a higher risk of body-wide complications among those with the rare skin condition, a new study in Spain has…

Selumetinib, a drug that’s approved to treat certain types of neurological tumors, may be an effective treatment for skin cancers in people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), according to a new study. Researchers found that selumetinib treatment killed cancer cells in dish-based tests, while experiments in mouse models…

Women with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) generally do not experience a worsening of disease symptoms during pregnancy — in fact, some expectant mothers with EB, particularly those with more severe disease, report that symptoms such as itching and blistering ease during pregnancy. Those are the findings of a new study…

TCP-25 gel is well-tolerated by individuals with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) and may effectively accelerate wound healing, according to a Phase 1 trial. The Phase 1 trial (NCT05378997) compared TCP-25 administered in conjunction with standard care to standard care alone over…

A new mesh-free dressing developed using lipidocolloid technology (TLC) promotes the healing of various types of skin wounds, including those associated with fragile skin caused by epidermolysis bullosa (EB). That’s according to data from the HEAL clinical trial (NCT03640871), which evaluated the new dressing in 78…

Doubling the standard dose of the gene therapy Vyjuvek (beremagene geperpavec) successfully healed widespread wounds in a woman with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) without causing side effects, a new case report shows. While the topical gel is already approved in the U.S. to treat the disease, the…

Scientists in the U.K. have secured funding for a clinical trial that will test whether multiple drugs used to treat other, more common skin disorders might be repurposed to treat epidermolysis bullosa (EB) The upcoming study, dubbed the Advancing Repurposed Therapeutics (ART) EB trial, will be led by Su…

Researchers at four centers in France will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of apremilast, an approved oral psoriasis therapy, in children and adults with severe epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) in an open-label Phase 2 clinical trial. Dubbed EBULO (NCT06509984), the study will test apremilast — currently sold as…

Scientists traced a common genetic mutation that causes recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) to the Sephardic Jewish population, a group that has roots in Spain and Portugal. Even so, analysis showed that the RDEB patients who carry the mutation assessed in the study, both in Europe and the Americas, did…

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood may help prevent finger and toe deformities caused by recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) by reducing inflammation and supporting skin repair, according to a study in a mouse model of the disease. To explore a way to better protect the skin’s barrier, the…

Over the coming weeks, Matter of Time — a documentary that chronicles how scientists and advocates are working to find a cure for epidermolysis bullosa (EB) — will be playing at dozens of theaters across the U.S. and France. The documentary is a concert film, but more, according to…

International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week is the last week of October — this year it’s Oct. 25-31 — and the epidermolysis bullosa (EB) community is coming together to raise awareness about the rare disorder and push towards new treatments. “Raising awareness is critical because EB is often a rare…