A market study by Precedence Research estimates the global dermatology market size to be $1.59 billion in 2022 and grow to $3.14 billion by 2032. Skin diseases such as chronic diabetic wounds and psoriasis are extremely difficult to treat because multiple cell types are involved. (fibroblasts, keratinocytes, immune cells), our understanding of disease progression in humans is limited.
However, startups in the Asia-Pacific region are now tackling skin diseases using solutions such as biomaterials and artificial intelligence AI, and an international skin consortium is currently working to bridge academia and industry in new collaborations. is being formed.
Singaporean startup Cuprina has developed its flagship product MEDIFLY, which uses sterile maggots to remove necrotic tissue and promote wound healing. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) is particularly effective in managing chronic and non-healing wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure points, explains company founder Carl Baptista.
“MEDIFLY's maggots have shown an amazing ability to selectively consume necrotic tissue,” said Baptista, who is also the company's CTO. “It accomplishes this through the secretion of proteolytic enzymes, which promote the removal of dead tissue, bacteria, and biofilm, and promote wound healing and granulation tissue formation.”
In addition to MEDIFLY, Cuprina has also developed ANURAN SP1, a type 1 collagen wound dressing made from discarded bullfrog skin. This potential treatment has been approved by Nanyang Technological University, which has innovated an amazing technique to extract collagen from discarded bullfrog skin, which not only preserves collagen's triple helical structure, but also We have also made it possible to convert purified collagen into a sponge-like material in an efficient manner. The substance is currently undergoing regulatory review and is in preparation for Phase 1 clinical trials.
“Collagen dressings are critical in the next healing phase after Medifly to promote fibroblast attachment, development of extracellular matrix components, and new blood vessel formation,” said Baptista. “This acceleration of granulation prepares the wound for the final healing phase, promoting wound closure and minimizing scarring.”
Mr. Baptista said future strategies include expanding Medifly's footprint into the rest of Southeast Asia, the Middle East and China, strengthening the brand and solutions through strategic partnerships focused on sustainability, and improving clinical performance. It states that this includes integrating botanical active substances into the product to make it more effective.
Hydrogels that promote wound healing
Lingel Tech is a China-based startup founded in 2017 that focuses on wound treatment and regenerative medicine. The company's core technology is the use of photocrosslinked hydrogels as wound dressings, tissue sealants, adhesives, and hemostatic agents.
“Our new photocrosslinking and wet tissue adhesive technologies allow us to crosslink and bond hydrogels.” on siteThis means that the hydrogel forms instantly and firmly adheres to the wound by light stimulation at the application site,” said Dr. Zhu Linyong, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, whose lab developed the photocrosslinking technology. Masu. “The advantage of this is that hydrogels can be used for adhesion and fixation of skin incisions. Compared to regular cyanoacrylate adhesives, our hydrogel-based tissue adhesives can be used to bond and fix skin incisions. It is more biosafety. It can also precisely align skin wounds to reduce wound tension and prevent scar formation.”
Zhu added that the company's hydrogel technology can also help close irregular wounds and promote wound healing through a moist wound healing mechanism. “Compared to other wound dressings such as films, foams, hydrocolloids, and alginates, hydrogels may reduce pain, reduce the frequency of dressing changes, and accelerate healing progress.”
Currently, two of the company's photocrosslinked hydrogel-based products have completed validation testing and multicenter trials. In particular, photocrosslinked hydrogel dressings are under consideration by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in 2023 under the Special Review and Approval Procedure for Innovative Medical Devices.
“The two products are expected to receive full CFDA approval within the next two years and be phased into clinical practice within the next five years,” Zhu said. “We hope this innovation will bring vitality to the field of wound management.”
AI for wound monitoring and management
As a result of the rapidly aging population and high prevalence of diabetes in developed countries, the incidence of wounds is increasing. Many wounds become chronic because they are difficult to monitor, leading to non-healing wounds and increased hospitalizations due to infections.
Li Lian Ng, co-founder of Tetsuyu Healthcare, a Singapore-based start-up developing affordable solutions for the medium and long-term care sector, says this challenge has led his company to develop automated measurements and wound tissue assessment. This motivated him to develop an AI solution for.
“Compared to competitors' approaches, our process is fast, taking less than a second,” said Lian Ng. “Validation conducted by Tan Tock Seng Hospital showed a high level of accuracy in wound measurements compared to qualified clinicians. Due to the standardization of captured data and embedded workflows. , quality has also improved. This allows junior medical staff to manage wounds in a guided manner, while senior clinicians can remotely monitor progress and prescribe early intervention to increase the chances of wound healing. can do.”
CARES4WOUNDS, an AI-enabled wound monitoring system that was commercially launched in 2020, is listed by the Health Sciences Authority (Singapore) as a Class B medical device. It has also obtained the CE mark. It is being adopted by a growing number of community care providers in Singapore and Hong Kong.
“Based on user feedback, we have seen an 11x increase in wound assessment productivity using this app, and a 2.65x reduction in overall wound management time and costs. We will continue research and development to introduce enhancements and improve the app's ability to capture circumferential wound dimensions. We will also continue research and development to improve the app's ability to capture circumferential wound dimensions. We have also just released a prototype app for at-risk screening,” added Lian Ng.
Global Skin Consortium supports translation and talent training
To meet the growing demand for dermatological solutions, countries around the world are establishing skin consortia to integrate research efforts, connect academic solutions with industry, and attract new talent for this rapidly growing industry. I am nurturing.
One such example is SKINTEGRITY.CH, a nationwide initiative in Switzerland. This effort aims to use interdisciplinary and collaborative research to better understand skin repair and disease mechanisms and develop new approaches to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of injured wounds. Healing, inflammatory and malignant skin diseases. As the third pillar of its mission, the consortium uniquely provides interdisciplinary training to the next generation of scientists, clinicians, and engineers.
SKINTEGRITY.CH's goal is to train a new generation of scientists, clinicians, and engineers in an interdisciplinary approach for careers in the broad field of skin research and dermatology.
“For example, through the Young Researchers Program, organized by a committee of PhD students and postdocs, 60 to 70 young researchers attend training workshops to learn new experimental techniques, gain professional skills and network. ,” says scientific coordinator Maarten Schrödorn. SKINTEGRITY.CH. “Collaboration with the technology transfer departments of the universities involved will greatly assist in resolving intellectual property concerns in these efforts.”
He added that the consortium's principal investigators have successfully established several start-up companies. “Collaboration with the technology transfer departments of the universities involved will greatly assist in resolving intellectual property concerns in these efforts.”
In addition to SKINTEGRITY.CH, other large-scale skin-related research centers include Massachusetts General Hospital's Skin Biology Research Center and the Singapore Skin Research Institute, which develops technologies to combat skin aging, cancer, and inflammation. there is.
Schredorn points out that the consortium's principal investigators have successfully founded several start-up companies. “Collaboration with the technology transfer departments of the universities involved will greatly assist in resolving intellectual property concerns in these efforts.”
In addition to SKINTEGRITY.CH, other large-scale skin-related research centers include Massachusetts General Hospital's Skin Biology Research Center and the Singapore Skin Research Institute, which develops technologies to combat skin aging, cancer, and inflammation. there is.
The growth of the skin disease market has made it important for academic researchers to consider how their solutions can be commercialized to benefit patients and clinical service providers. Support from funding agencies is needed, and consortia play a key role in bringing together like-minded players to identify problems, generate solutions, and create impact through product translation and talent development. .
Dr Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.
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