Could Perinatal Allografts Be Charting A New Course In Wound Healing?

An allograft is tissue that is transplanted from one person to another. The prefix “allo” comes from a Greek word meaning “other.” An allograft is different from an autograft, which uses the individual's own tissue and is, therefore, genetically identical.

Human allografts have been used in orthopedic surgery for decades and over the years have found increasing and widespread use in a variety of medical fields, including for the repair, reconstruction, supplementation or replacement of the recipient’s cells and tissues in orthopedics, neurosurgery, dental surgery and plastic surgery. The allograft tissue in such cases is usually taken from deceased people who had chosen to donate their organs, eyes and tissues.

In the area of wound care specifically, allografts that use perinatal tissue derived from human placenta, have been gaining prominence. 

The global advanced wound-care market is sizable. It was valued at $6.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2022 to 2030, according to Grand View Research.

The soft tissue market also is growing rapidly and is expected to reach around $8.6 billion by 2030 with demand for sterile tissue allografts being driven by aging populations, an increase in demand from athletes, an increase in the number of tissue banks and a rise in the number of orthopedic surgical procedures.

In the United States, chronic wounds are a prevalent and costly problem, and improved treatments are imperative to heal them and prevent serious complications such as infection and amputation. The solution could lie in perinatal tissue allografts, according to Biostem Technologies Inc. BSEM 

BioStem, a preclinical-stage biotechnology company based in Pompano Beach, Florida, is focused on harnessing the properties of perinatal tissue allografts as regenerative treatments to help repair the damage caused by a broad range of degenerative diseases. The company was incorporated in 2014. 

Perinatal Allografts Set To Revolutionize Wound Healing

Perinatal tissues are an abundant source of human extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors and stem cells with proven potential use in a wide range of therapeutic applications. Because of their placental origin, these tissues possess unique biological properties, including being angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-microbial and immune privileged.

These allografts are typically harvested exclusively from perinatal tissues such as umbilical cord tissue, placenta, amniotic fluid and other placental materials and components derived as by-products during the birth of human babies. 

Being a temporary organ, placenta is usually discarded as medical waste so it is an easily available, cost-effective, unlimited and ethical source of raw material for perinatal allografts.

According to BioStem, placental-derived human amniotic membrane (AM) is a potent source of pro-healing growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines and has successfully been used in regenerative medicine for over a century. 

Early users of AM for wounds and post-surgical applications noted that the membrane seemed to disappear and integrate with the patient’s own tissue without a host reaction. This apparent immune neutrality is a result of mechanisms in AM that suppress and modulate the immune system.

The use of AM was initially limited because of storage challenges associated with use of the fresh tissue. But modern processing methods such as dehydration have delivered options that have longer shelf lives, can be sterilized and stored at ambient temperatures.

With its application in wound care, perinatal tissue allografts are increasingly finding a place in the treatment of diabetics.

The U.S. has over 34.2 million patients with diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Statistics Report 2020.  Of this, about 15% of patients will develop foot ulcers. And 14% to 24% of patients who develop a foot ulcer end up requiring lower limb amputations.  

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are among the most challenging and difficult to treat chronic wound types, causing immense suffering and resulting in high mortality. BioStem says that perinatal-based allografts are being used in the treatment and healing of DFUs and are increasingly gaining acceptance in the advanced wound management of DFUs .

BioStem’s planned product offering for the second half of this year includes: 

• VENDAJE® allografts that can be placed over open wounds to improve the healing process after surgery
• VENDAJE AC®, a multilayer allograft for major surgeries, severe burns and complex wounds, including ulcers and infected wounds
• VENDAJE Optic® allografts used to repair wounds or surgical incisions on the eye through the use of thinner coverings that are suitable for delicate ophthalmic use 

Armed with its versatile range of allografts, BioStem aims to become a recognized leader in advanced-wound, post-surgical wound care and dermatology.

To learn more about BioStem and its products visit its webpage.

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Featured photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash