Until recently, researchers believed that once cells differentiate into specific cell types, as it occurs during development of the embryo, they could no longer go back to their pluripotent state, and thus could no longer serve other functions. This view has changed. Over the last few years, scientific evidence has shown that reprogramming of cell function is possible. This has generated increased interest in cellular therapy as a means of repairing or replacing damaged tissue.

Regenics’ idea is to locally revive the regenerative abilities of skin cells in order to improve wound healing, with extracts of salmon eggs. The idea originates from studies altering the differentiation state of cells: differentiated cells treated with extracts of embryonic stem cells, xenopus oocytes, and zebra fish eggs are de-differentiated, i.e., stem cells abilities are revived. Regenics’ research is state-of-the-art in areas of cell differentiation, reprogramming, skin stem cells, gene and protein expression in skin cells, as well as skin wound healing assays. The research is conducted in collaboration with Prof. Collas, who provides an academic knowledge at the frontier of this research area worldwide.

The Skin is a complex organ which consists of three layers: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. It is composed of more than 25 different cell types derived from several types of skin stem cells. Epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin consisting of keratinocytes which divide and differentiate as they are pushed up towards the skin surface. Dermis is composed connective tissue of extra cellular matrix (ECM) proteins like collagen produced by fibroblasts. As collagen levels diminish with age, skin sags and wrinkles form. We have chosen to focus our research on three cell types crucial in wound healing, namely fibroblasts, keratinocytes and skin stem cells.

There is great need for products which stimulate the wound healing mechanisms of the body itself. With age, skin stem cells become less active, skin healing abilities are reduced, collagen secretion decreases, and skin gets thinner and less elastic due to lower activity of keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Wounds are currently treated with antibiotics if infected and steroids if inflamed, neither of which stimulates cellular healing mechanisms. No existing wound healing product available is documented to regulate skin cell differentiation state and enhance cell proliferation.

Regenics is developing safe and effective products for the regeneration and improved function of cells in the skin. This ground braking approach to wound healing and skin rejuvenation includes: 1) Stimulation of keratinocytes, which will increase rate of re-epithelialization in wounds and improve skin surface appearance. 2) Stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen secretion, increasing rate of wound closure and leading to scars with better appearance. 3) Regulation of proliferation, migration and differentiation of stem cells in the skin, great potential for the process of wound closure. These unique effects will all be of benefit for therapeutic wound healing applications.

Regenics follows a proactive research and patent filing strategy to protect its novel technology and to ensure that it has a clear intellectual property path for marketing the product. Two patents are filed (US applications No. 10/867,544 and 60/799,560), and securing Intellectual Property Rights will be a priority throughout. Regenics will exploit research results by selling rights to use and/or produce product and technologies internationally through patent licensing. The patents cover several technologies related to stem cell mechanisms and may become increasingly relevant for future therapeutic uses of stem cells.

Wound healing (See figure 1): Wounding triggers a complex series of events to repair the damage, including mobilizing fibroblasts into the site of the injury to close the wound and migration of basal keratinocytes to re-epithelialize the wound. The differentiation state of fibroblast changes during wound healing: fibroblasts (Figure pink) proliferate and differentiate to myofibroblasts (red). Myofibroblasts produce collagen, which lays the foundation for keratinocytes (black) to divide and migrate into the wound area (white stripe) When the wound is healed, myofibroblasts de-differentiate back to fibroblasts for proper scar formation. Our research aims at modulating differentiation between skin stem cells <–> fibroblasts <–> myofibroblasts in order to optimize wound healing. We also want to regulate the differentiation process between proliferating basal keratinocytes and differentiated keratinocytes. De-differentiation to basal keratinocytes will increase the ability to proliferate and migrate, and thus reduce time of re-epithelialization.

Skin Stem Cells: An intriguing possibility of the effect of the salmon egg extract on skin is the activation of skin stem cells. We aim to increase proliferation and attraction of skin stem cells to the area of the wound, and differentiation of the stem cells into the proper cell types needed in the wound healing process.