Retrospectives on Three Decades of Safe Clinical Experience with Allogeneic Dermal Progenitor Fibroblasts: High Versatility in Topical Cytotherapeutic Care

Alexis Laurent; Marina Rey; Corinne Scaletta; Philippe Abdel-Sayed; Murielle Michetti; Marjorie Flahaut; Wassim Raffoul; Anthony de Buys Roessingh; Nathalie Hirt-Burri; Lee Ann Applegate

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15010184

Retrospectives on Three Decades of Safe Clinical Experience with Allogeneic Dermal Progenitor Fibroblasts: High Versatility in Topical Cytotherapeutic Care

Pharmaceutics. 2023 Jan 4;15(1):184. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010184.

Authors

Alexis Laurent^{1

2}, Marina Rey¹, Corinne Scaletta¹, Philippe Abdel-Sayed^{1

3

4}, Murielle Michetti¹, Marjorie Flahaut¹, Wassim Raffoul^{3

5}, Anthony de Buys Roessingh^{3

6}, Nathalie Hirt-Burri¹, Lee Ann Applegate^{1

3

5

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Regenerative Therapy Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
² Manufacturing Department, TEC-PHARMA SA, CH-1038 Bercher, Switzerland.
³ Lausanne Burn Center, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁴ DLL Bioengineering, Discovery Learning Program, STI School of Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁵ Plastic, Reconstructive, and Hand Surgery Service, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁶ Children and Adolescent Surgery Service, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁷ Center for Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
⁸ Oxford OSCAR Suzhou Center, Oxford University, Suzhou 215123, China.

Abstract

Allogeneic dermal progenitor fibroblasts constitute cytotherapeutic contenders for modern cutaneous regenerative medicine. Based on advancements in the relevant scientific, technical, and regulatory fields, translational developments have slowly yet steadily led to the clinical application of such biologicals and derivatives. To set the appropriate general context, the first aim of this study was to provide a current global overview of approved cell and gene therapy products, with an emphasis on cytotherapies for cutaneous application. Notable advances were shown for North America, Europe, Iran, Japan, and Korea. Then, the second and main aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis on the various applications of dermal progenitor fibroblasts and derivatives, as clinically used under the Swiss progenitor cell transplantation program for the past three decades. Therein, the focus was set on the extent and versatility of use of the therapies under consideration, their safety parameters, as well as formulation options for topical application. Quantitative and illustrative data were summarized and reported for over 300 patients treated with various cell-based or cell-derived preparations (e.g., progenitor biological bandages or semi-solid emulsions) in Lausanne since 1992. Overall, this study shows the strong current interest in biological-based approaches to cutaneous regenerative medicine from a global developmental perspective, as well as the consolidated local clinical experience gathered with a specific and safe allogeneic cytotherapeutic approach. Taken together, these current and historical elements may serve as tangible working bases for the further optimization of local and modern translational pathways for the provision of topical cytotherapeutic care.

Keywords: biotechnology; burns; cell transplantation program; clinical cell banking; clinical cytotherapies; donor-site wounds; fibroblasts; progenitor biological bandages; regenerative medicine; ulcers.

Grants and funding

The S.A.N.T.E and Sandoz Family Foundations and Lee Applegate have contributed to fund the Swiss progenitor cell transplantation program during the past thirteen years. The Priority Project Bru_PBB has been institutionally funded in part by the CHUV General Direction since 2015. This work was not supported by any other specific grants or institutional programs.