In Development

Vitiligo Treatment
Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition affecting 1-2% of the population. Sufferers eventually lose functional melanocytes from their skin resulting in depigmented areas that rarely repigment spontaneously.

  
CellTran are developing a chemically defined carrier dressing for the delivery of a sub-confluent co-culture of autologous keratinocytes and melanocytes for the treatment of vitiligo.

Using our previous expertise gained from developing the myskin™ surface, a substrate has been developed that is capable of supporting the expansion and co-culture of both keratinocytes and melanocytes, and of facilitating their transfer to a wound bed model.

This has been evaluated in a pre-clinical model of skin pigmentation and found to be very effective at delivering both keratinocytes and melanocytes.
We are now working towards translating this work from a clinical research project to become a treatment option which can be offered to vitiligo patients on an out-patient basis through a number of Dermatology Clinics in the UK.
Corneal Epithelial Treatment
Limbal stem cell deficiency can result from a number of conditions such as aniridia, Steven Johnson Syndrome and chemical and thermal injury.
The most commonly used method for delivering cultured cells to the cornea for clinical use is the human amniotic membrane. Cells are cultured on this, and then the membrane is sutured (cells uppermost) onto the prepared cornea. However, whilst this is the gold standard, this technique does require the use of donor tissue.

CellTran are currently developing an advanced surface for culture and transfer of corneal epithelial cells for treating blinding ocular surface diseases which would ultimately provide a practical alternative to the use of the amniotic membrane and reduce the risks for the patient in the use of laboratory expanded cells.

Cell Migration Dressing
An off-the-shelf, cell-free dressing which will act to promote rapid healing of partial thickness burns and scalds by promoting the horizontal migration of residual keratinocytes within the scald injury.