Methods of Diagnosing and Treating Recalcitrant Chronic Wounds

Categories: “Other Disorders“

Reference #: 2012-024

OTC Contact: Tracy Bruehs, M.S., J.D., Associate Director, Licensing & Contracts (Directory Information | Send a Message)

Description

Research has shown that inducible COX-2 is upregulated in non-healing wounds and lesions compared to healing wounds. This suggests inhibition of COX-2 may aid in the transition from inflammatory to healing phases in chronic skin wounds. This invention claims a method aimed specifically to treat, and potentially diagnose, recalcitrant, chronic, and otherwise “non-healing” skin wounds.

Applications

• Potential for use of COX-2 inhibitor for treatment of non-healing wounds.
• Potential to utilize COX-2 activity levels as a biomarker of non-healing/chronic potential and/or risk of graft failure.

Advantages

• Novel use of a pre-existing class of drug compounds
• Represents a novel treatment for shifting chronic non-healing wounds from inflammatory to the proliferative phase of healing
• Represents a novel predictive biomarker of healing outcomes for patients undergoing split thickness skin grafting procedures, where currently there is no easy way to identify patients for whom such procedures may not be optimal (e.g. patients with autoimmune diseases).

Stage of Development

Preliminary results recorded. Further verification of findings and future pilot program/study is planned.

Relevant Publications

Manuscript in preparation.

Patent Status

Provisional application filed.