A New Ex Vivo Human Skin Burn Model.

Currently, most burn models for preclinical testing are on animals. For obvious ethical, anatomical, and physiological reasons, these models could be replaced with optimized ex vivo systems. The creation of a burn model on human skin using a pulsed dye laser could represent a relevant model for preclinical research. Six samples of excess human abdominal skin were obtained within one hour after surgery. Burn injuries were induced on small samples of cleaned skin using a pulsed dye laser on skin samples, at varying fluences, pulse numbers and illumination duration. In total, 70 burn injuries were performed on skin ex vivo before being histologically and dermato-pathologically analyzed. Irradiated burned skin samples were classified with a specified code representing burn degrees. Then, a selection of samples was inspected after 14 and 21 days to assess their capacity to heal spontaneously and re-epithelize. We determined the parameters of a pulsed dye laser inducing first, second, and third degree burns on human skin and with fixed parameters, especially superficial and deep second degree burns. After 21 days with the ex vivo model, neo-epidermis was formed. Our results showed that this simple, rapid, user-independent process creates reproducible and uniform burns of different, predictable degrees that are close to clinical reality. Human skin ex vivo models can be an alternative to and complete animal experimentation, particularly for preclinical large screening. This model could be used to foster the testing of new treatments on standardized degrees of burn injuries and thus improve therapeutic strategies.

Current Status of PRP Manufacturing Requirements & European Regulatory Frameworks: Practical Tools for the Appropriate Implementation of PRP Therapies in Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine.

Providing accurate and up-to-date practical tools enabling oversight of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) legislation and of the appropriate standards to be implemented for its manufacture and use in Europe is a demanding task. This is due to rapid medico-technological advancements, slowness and disparity in legislation updates and enforcement between member states, and many reported gray-zone practices, notably for autologous PRP use. The levels of risk associated with blood manipulation processes generally dictate the manufacturing requirements for PRP preparations, which have gradually shifted toward good manufacturing practices (GMP) for standardization and overall quality enhancement. This work firstly outlines Western European and Swiss legislation for PRP products/preparations, providing key simplified information and recommendations for medical doctors seeking to implement this biological-based therapy for safe use in hospital settings, clinics, or private offices. This work secondly shows the importance of PRP-based product manufacturing standardization, which subsequently enables sound clinical evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Although the applicable legal bases provide guidelines for GMP manufacturing infrastructure and basic process design, paramount importance is set on the definition of workflows, technical specifications, and key parameters for PRP preparation and delivery. Overall, the development of simple and robust technologies and processes for PRP preparation is critical for guaranteeing the high therapeutic quality of the intervention, in collaboration with qualified GMP manufacturing platforms. Importantly, this work aims to serve as a practical tool for clinicians based in Western Europe who are willing to appropriately (i.e., administratively and technically) implement autologous PRP treatments in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine workflows, to ensure they make informed and optimal regulatory or process-based decisions.

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

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.

Lyophilized Progenitor Tenocyte Extracts: Sterilizable Cytotherapeutic Derivatives with Antioxidant Properties and Hyaluronan Hydrogel Functionalization Effects.

Cultured primary progenitor tenocytes in lyophilized form were previously shown to possess intrinsic antioxidant properties and hyaluronan-based hydrogel viscosity-modulating effects in vitro. The aim of this study was to prepare and functionally characterize several stabilized (lyophilized) cell-free progenitor tenocyte extracts for inclusion in cytotherapy-inspired complex injectable preparations. Fractionation and sterilization methods were included in specific biotechnological manufacturing workflows of such extracts. Comparative and functional-oriented characterizations of the various extracts were performed using several orthogonal descriptive, colorimetric, rheological, mechanical, and proteomic readouts. Specifically, an optimal sugar-based (saccharose/dextran) excipient formula was retained to produce sterilizable cytotherapeutic derivatives with appropriate functions. It was shown that extracts containing soluble cell-derived fractions possessed conserved and significant antioxidant properties (TEAC) compared to the freshly harvested cellular starting materials. Progenitor tenocyte extracts submitted to sub-micron filtration (0.22 µm) and 60Co gamma irradiation terminal sterilization (5−50 kGy) were shown to retain significant antioxidant properties and hyaluronan-based hydrogel viscosity modulating effects. Hydrogel combination products displayed important efficacy-related characteristics (friction modulation, tendon bioadhesivity) with significant (p < 0.05) protective effects of the cellular extracts in oxidative environments. Overall, the present study sets forth robust control methodologies (antioxidant assays, H2O2-challenged rheological setups) for stabilized cell-free progenitor tenocyte extracts. Importantly, it was shown that highly sensitive phases of cytotherapeutic derivative manufacturing process development (purification, terminal sterilization) allowed for the conservation of critical biological extract attributes.

Retrospective Analysis of Autologous Chondrocyte-Based Cytotherapy Production for Clinical Use: GMP Process-Based Manufacturing Optimization in a Swiss University Hospital.

Cultured autologous human articular chondrocyte (HAC) implantation has been extensively investigated for safe and effective promotion of structural and functional restoration of knee cartilage lesions. HAC-based cytotherapeutic products for clinical use must be manufactured under an appropriate quality assurance system and follow good manufacturing practices (GMP). A prospective clinical trial is ongoing in the Lausanne University Hospital, where the HAC manufacturing processes have been implemented internally. Following laboratory development and in-house GMP transposition of HAC cell therapy manufacturing, a total of 47 patients have been treated to date. The main aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the available manufacturing records of the produced HAC-based cytotherapeutic products, outlining the inter-individual variability existing among the 47 patients regarding standardized transplant product preparation. These data were used to ameliorate and to ensure the continued high quality of cytotherapeutic care in view of further clinical investigations, based on the synthetic analyses of existing GMP records. Therefore, a renewed risk analysis-based process definition was performed, with specific focus set on process parameters, controls, targets, and acceptance criteria. Overall, high importance of the interdisciplinary collaboration and of the manufacturing process robustness was underlined, considering the high variability (i.e., quantitative, functional) existing between the treated patients and between the derived primary HAC cell types.

Back to the Cradle of Cytotherapy: Integrating a Century of Clinical Research and Biotechnology-Based Manufacturing for Modern Tissue-Specific Cellular Treatments in Switzerland.

Empirically studied by Dr. Brown-Séquard in the late 1800s, cytotherapies were later democratized by Dr. Niehans during the twentieth century in Western Switzerland. Many local cultural landmarks around the Léman Riviera are reminiscent of the inception of such cell-based treatments. Despite the discreet extravagance of the remaining heirs of "living cell therapy" and specific enforcements by Swiss health authorities, current interest in modern and scientifically sound cell-based regenerative medicine has never been stronger. Respective progress made in bioengineering and in biotechnology have enabled the clinical implementation of modern cell-based therapeutic treatments within updated medical and regulatory frameworks. Notably, the Swiss progenitor cell transplantation program has enabled the gathering of two decades of clinical experience in Lausanne for the therapeutic management of cutaneous and musculoskeletal affections, using homologous allogeneic cell-based approaches. While striking conceptual similarities exist between the respective works of the fathers of cytotherapy and of modern highly specialized clinicians, major and important iterative updates have been implemented, centered on product quality and risk-analysis-based patient safety insurance. This perspective article highlights some historical similarities and major evolutive differences, particularly regarding product safety and quality issues, characterizing the use of cell-based therapies in Switzerland over the past century. We outline the vast therapeutic potential to be harnessed for the benefit of overall patient health and the importance of specific scientific methodological aspects.

Combination of Hyaluronan and Lyophilized Progenitor Cell Derivatives: Stabilization of Functional Hydrogel Products for Therapeutic Management of Tendinous Tissue Disorders.

Cultured progenitor cells and derivatives have been used in various homologous applications of cutaneous and musculoskeletal regenerative medicine. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in the form of progenitor cell derivatives such as lysates and lyophilizates were shown to retain function in controlled cellular models of wound repair. On the other hand, hyaluronan-based hydrogels are widely used as functional vehicles in therapeutic products for tendon tissue disorders. The aim of this study was the experimental characterization of formulations containing progenitor tenocyte-derived APIs and hyaluronan, for the assessment of ingredient compatibility and stability in view of eventual therapeutic applications in tendinopathies. Lyophilized APIs were determined to contain relatively low quantities of proteins and growth factors, while being physicochemically stable and possessing significant intrinsic antioxidant properties. Physical and rheological quantifications of the combination formulas were performed after hydrogen peroxide challenge, outlining significantly improved evolutive viscoelasticity values in accelerated degradation settings. Thus, potent effects of physicochemical protection or stability enhancement of hyaluronan by the incorporated APIs were observed. Finally, combination formulas were found to be easily injectable into ex vivo tendon tissues, confirming their compatibility with further translational clinical approaches. Overall, this study provides the technical bases for the development of progenitor tenocyte derivative-based injectable therapeutic products or devices, to potentially be applied in tendinous tissue disorders.

Evolution of Diploid Progenitor Lung Cell Applications: From Optimized Biotechnological Substrates to Potential Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Respiratory Tract Regenerative Medicine.

The objective of this review is to describe the evolution of lung tissue-derived diploid progenitor cell applications, ranging from historical biotechnological substrate functions for vaccine production and testing to current investigations around potential therapeutic use in respiratory tract regenerative medicine. Such cell types (e.g., MRC-5 or WI-38 sources) were extensively studied since the 1960s and have been continuously used over five decades as safe and sustainable industrial vaccine substrates. Recent research and development efforts around diploid progenitor lung cells (e.g., FE002-Lu or Walvax-2 sources) consist in qualification for potential use as optimal and renewed vaccine production substrates and, alternatively, for potential therapeutic applications in respiratory tract regenerative medicine. Potentially effective, safe, and sustainable cell therapy approaches for the management of inflammatory lung diseases or affections and related symptoms (e.g., COVID-19 patients and burn patient severe inhalation syndrome) using local homologous allogeneic cell-based or cell-derived product administrations are considered. Overall, lung tissue-derived progenitor cells isolated and produced under good manufacturing practices (GMP) may be used with high versatility. They can either act as key industrial platforms optimally conforming to specific pharmacopoeial requirements or as active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for potentially effective promotion of lung tissue repair or regeneration.

Optimized Manufacture of Lyophilized Dermal Fibroblasts for Next-Generation Off-the-Shelf Progenitor Biological Bandages in Topical Post-Burn Regenerative Medicine.

Cultured fibroblast progenitor cells (FPC) have been studied in Swiss translational regenerative medicine for over two decades, wherein clinical experience was gathered for safely managing burns and refractory cutaneous ulcers. Inherent FPC advantages include high robustness, optimal adaptability to industrial manufacture, and potential for effective repair stimulation of wounded tissues. Major technical bottlenecks in cell therapy development comprise sustainability, stability, and logistics of biological material sources. Herein, we report stringently optimized and up-scaled processing (i.e., cell biobanking and stabilization by lyophilization) of dermal FPCs, with the objective of addressing potential cell source sustainability and stability issues with regard to active substance manufacturing in cutaneous regenerative medicine. Firstly, multi-tiered FPC banking was optimized in terms of overall quality and efficiency by benchmarking key reagents (e.g., medium supplement source, dissociation reagent), consumables (e.g., culture vessels), and technical specifications. Therein, fetal bovine serum batch identity and culture vessel surface were confirmed, among other parameters, to largely impact harvest cell yields. Secondly, FPC stabilization by lyophilization was undertaken and shown to maintain critical functions for devitalized cells in vitro, potentially enabling high logistical gains. Overall, this study provides the technical basis for the elaboration of next-generation off-the-shelf topical regenerative medicine therapeutic products for wound healing and post-burn care.

Antimicrobial Peptide Dendrimers and Quorum-Sensing Inhibitors in Formulating Next-Generation Anti-Infection Cell Therapy Dressings for Burns.

Multidrug resistance infections are the main cause of failure in the pro-regenerative cell-mediated therapy of burn wounds. The collagen-based matrices for delivery of cells could be potential substrates to support bacterial growth and subsequent lysis of the collagen leading to a cell therapy loss. In this article, we report the development of a new generation of cell therapy formulations with the capacity to resist infections through the bactericidal effect of antimicrobial peptide dendrimers and the anti-virulence effect of anti-quorum sensing MvfR (PqsR) system compounds, which are incorporated into their formulation. Anti-quorum sensing compounds limit the pathogenicity and antibiotic tolerance of pathogenic bacteria involved in the burn wound infections, by inhibiting their virulence pathways. For the first time, we report a biological cell therapy dressing incorporating live progenitor cells, antimicrobial peptide dendrimers, and anti-MvfR compounds, which exhibit bactericidal and anti-virulence properties without compromising the viability of the progenitor cells.

Burn Center Organization and Cellular Therapy Integration: Managing Risks and Costs.

The complex management of severe burn victims requires an integrative collaboration of multidisciplinary specialists in order to ensure quality and excellence in healthcare. This multidisciplinary care has quickly led to the integration of cell therapies in clinical care of burn patients. Specific advances in cellular therapy together with medical care have allowed for rapid treatment, shorter residence in hospitals and intensive care units, shorter durations of mechanical ventilation, lower complications and surgery interventions, and decreasing mortality rates. However, naturally fluctuating patient admission rates increase pressure toward optimized resource utilization. Besides, European translational developments of cellular therapies currently face potentially jeopardizing challenges on the policy front. The aim of the present work is to provide key considerations in burn care with focus on architectural and organizational aspects of burn centers, management of cellular therapy products, and guidelines in evolving restrictive regulations relative to standardized cell therapies. Thus, based on our experience, we present herein integrated management of risks and costs for preserving and optimizing clinical care and cellular therapies for patients in dire need.

Industrial Development of Standardized Fetal Progenitor Cell Therapy for Tendon Regenerative Medicine: Preliminary Safety in Xenogeneic Transplantation.

Tendon defects require multimodal therapeutic management over extensive periods and incur high collateral burden with frequent functional losses. Specific cell therapies have recently been developed in parallel to surgical techniques for managing acute and degenerative tendon tissue affections, to optimally stimulate resurgence of structure and function. Cultured primary human fetal progenitor tenocytes (hFPT) have been preliminarily considered for allogeneic homologous cell therapies, and have been characterized as stable, consistent, and sustainable cell sources in vitro. Herein, optimized therapeutic cell sourcing from a single organ donation, industrial transposition of multi-tiered progenitor cell banking, and preliminary preclinical safety of an established hFPT cell source (i.e., FE002-Ten cell type) were investigated. Results underlined high robustness of FE002-Ten hFPTs and suitability for sustainable manufacturing upscaling within optimized biobanking workflows. Absence of toxicity or tumorigenicity of hFPTs was demonstrated in ovo and in vitro, respectively. Furthermore, a 6-week pilot good laboratory practice (GLP) safety study using a rabbit patellar tendon partial-thickness defect model preliminarily confirmed preclinical safety of hFPT-based standardized transplants, wherein no immune reactions, product rejection, or tumour formation were observed. Such results strengthen the rationale of the multimodal Swiss fetal progenitor cell transplantation program and prompt further investigation around such cell sources in preclinical and clinical settings for musculoskeletal regenerative medicine.

Retrospective Evaluation of Progenitor Biological Bandage Use: A Complementary and Safe Therapeutic Management Option for Prevention of Hypertrophic Scarring in Pediatric Burn Care.

Progenitor Biological Bandages (PBB) have been continuously applied clinically in the Lausanne Burn Center for over two decades. Vast translational experience and hindsight have been gathered, specifically for cutaneous healing promotion of donor-site grafts and second-degree pediatric burns. PBBs constitute combined Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products, containing viable cultured allogeneic fetal dermal progenitor fibroblasts. Such constructs may partly favor repair and regeneration of functional cutaneous tissues by releasing cytokines and growth factors, potentially negating the need for subsequent skin grafting, while reducing the formation of hypertrophic scar tissues. This retrospective case-control study (2010-2018) of pediatric second-degree burn patients comprehensively compared two initial wound treatment options (i.e., PBBs versus Aquacel® Ag, applied during ten to twelve days post-trauma). Results confirmed clinical safety of PBBs with regard to morbidity, mortality, and overall complications. No difference was detected between groups for length of hospitalization or initial relative burn surface decreasing rates. Nevertheless, a trend was observed in younger patients treated with PBBs, requiring fewer corrective interventions or subsequent skin grafting. Importantly, significant improvements were observed in the PBB group regarding hypertrophic scarring (i.e., reduced number of scar complications and related corrective interventions). Such results establish evidence of clinical benefits yielded by the Swiss fetal progenitor cell transplantation program and favor further implementation of specific cell therapies in highly specialized regenerative medicine.

GMP Tiered Cell Banking of Non-enzymatically Isolated Dermal Progenitor Fibroblasts for Allogenic Regenerative Medicine.

Non-enzymatically isolated primary dermal progenitor fibroblasts derived from fetal organ donations are ideal cell types for allogenic musculoskeletal regenerative therapeutic applications. These cell types are differentiated, highly proliferative in standard in vitro culture conditions and extremely stable throughout their defined lifespans. Technical simplicity, robustness of bioprocessing and relatively small therapeutic dose requirements enable pragmatic and efficient production of clinical progenitor fibroblast lots under cGMP standards. Herein we describe optimized and standardized monolayer culture expansion protocols using dermal progenitor fibroblasts isolated under a Fetal Transplantation Program for the establishment of GMP tiered Master, Working and End of Production cryopreserved Cell Banks. Safety, stability and quality parameters are assessed through stringent testing of progeny biological materials, in view of clinical application to human patients suffering from diverse cutaneous chronic and acute affections. These methods and approaches, coupled to adequate cell source optimization, enable the obtention of a virtually limitless source of highly consistent and safe biological therapeutic material to be used for innovative regenerative medicine applications.

Progenitor Biological Bandages: An Authentic Swiss Tool for Safe Therapeutic Management of Burns, Ulcers, and Donor Site Grafts.

Clinical experience gathered over two decades around therapeutic use of primary human dermal progenitor fibroblasts in burn patient populations has been at the forefront of regenerative medicine in Switzerland. Relative technical simplicity, ease of extensive serial multitiered banking, and high stability are major advantages of such cell types, assorted to ease of safety and traceability demonstration. Stringent optimization of cell source selection and standardization of biobanking protocols enables the safe and efficient harnessing of the considerable allogenic therapeutic potential yielded by primary progenitor cells. Swiss legal and regulatory requirements have led to the procurement of fetal tissues within a devised Fetal Progenitor Cell Transplantation Program in the Lausanne University Hospital. Proprietary nonenzymatic isolation of primary musculoskeletal cell types and subsequent establishment of progeny tiered cell banks under cGMP standards have enabled safe and effective management of acute and chronic cutaneous affections in various patient populations. Direct off-the-freezer seeding of viable dermal progenitor fibroblasts on a CE marked equine collagen scaffold is the current standard for delivery of the therapeutic biological materials to patients suffering from extensive and deep burns. Diversification in the clinical indications and delivery methods for these progenitor cells has produced excellent results for treatment of persistent ulcers, autograft donor site wounds, or chronic cutaneous affections such as eczema. Herein we describe the standard operating procedures for preparation and therapeutic deployment of the progenitor biological bandages within our translational musculoskeletal regenerative medicine program, as they are routinely used as adjuvants in our Burn Center to treat critically ailing patients.

Holistic Approach of Swiss Fetal Progenitor Cell Banking: Optimizing Safe and Sustainable Substrates for Regenerative Medicine and Biotechnology.

Safety, quality, and regulatory-driven iterative optimization of therapeutic cell source selection has constituted the core developmental bedrock for primary fetal progenitor cell (FPC) therapy in Switzerland throughout three decades. Customized Fetal Transplantation Programs were pragmatically devised as straightforward workflows for tissue procurement, traceability maximization, safety, consistency, and robustness of cultured progeny cellular materials. Whole-cell bioprocessing standardization has provided plethoric insights into the adequate conjugation of modern biotechnological advances with current restraining legislative, ethical, and regulatory frameworks. Pioneer translational advances in cutaneous and musculoskeletal regenerative medicine continuously demonstrate the therapeutic potential of FPCs. Extensive technical and clinical hindsight was gathered by managing pediatric burns and geriatric ulcers in Switzerland. Concomitant industrial transposition of dermal FPC banking, following good manufacturing practices, demonstrated the extensive potential of their therapeutic value. Furthermore, in extenso, exponential revalorization of Swiss FPC technology may be achieved via the renewal of integrative model frameworks. Consideration of both longitudinal and transversal aspects of simultaneous fetal tissue differential processing allows for a better understanding of the quasi-infinite expansion potential within multi-tiered primary FPC banking. Multiple fetal tissues (e.g., skin, cartilage, tendon, muscle, bone, lung) may be simultaneously harvested and processed for adherent cell cultures, establishing a unique model for sustainable therapeutic cellular material supply chains. Here, we integrated fundamental, preclinical, clinical, and industrial developments embodying the scientific advances supported by Swiss FPC banking and we focused on advances made to date for FPCs that may be derived from a single organ donation. A renewed model of single organ donation bioprocessing is proposed, achieving sustained standards and potential production of billions of affordable and efficient therapeutic doses. Thereby, the aim is to validate the core therapeutic value proposition, to increase awareness and use of standardized protocols for translational regenerative medicine, potentially impacting millions of patients suffering from cutaneous and musculoskeletal diseases. Alternative applications of FPC banking include biopharmaceutical therapeutic product manufacturing, thereby indirectly and synergistically enhancing the power of modern therapeutic armamentariums. It is hypothesized that a single qualifying fetal organ donation is sufficient to sustain decades of scientific, medical, and industrial developments, as technological optimization and standardization enable high efficiency.

Bringing Safe and Standardized Cell Therapies to Industrialized Processing for Burns and Wounds.

Cultured primary progenitor cell types are worthy therapeutic candidates for regenerative medicine. Clinical translation, industrial transposition, and commercial implementation of products based on such cell sources are mainly hindered by economic or technical barriers and stringent regulatory requirements. Applied research in allogenic cellular therapies in the Lausanne University Hospital focuses on cell source selection technique optimization. Use of fetal progenitor cell sources in Switzerland is regulated through Federal Transplantation Programs and associated Fetal Biobanks. Clinical applications of cultured primary progenitor dermal fibroblasts have been optimized since the 1990s as "Progenitor Biological Bandages" for pediatric burn patients and adults presenting chronic wounds. A single organ donation procured in 2009 enabled the establishment of a standardized cell source for clinical and industrial developments to date. Non-enzymatically isolated primary dermal progenitor fibroblasts (FE002-SK2 cell type) served for the establishment of a clinical-grade Parental Cell Bank, based on a patented method. Optimized bioprocessing methodology for the FE002-SK2 cell type has demonstrated that extensive and consistent progenitor cell banks can be established. In vitro mechanistic characterization and in vivo preclinical studies have confirmed potency, preliminary safety and efficacy of therapeutic progenitor cells. Most importantly, highly successful industrial transposition and up-scaling of biobanking enabled the establishment of tiered Master and Working Cell Banks using Good Manufacturing Practices. Successive and successful transfers of technology, know-how and materials to different countries around the world have been performed. Extensive developments based on the FE002-SK2 cell source have led to clinical trials for burns and wound dressing. Said trials were approved in Japan, Taiwan, USA and are continuing in Switzerland. The Swiss Fetal Transplantation Program and pioneer clinical experience in the Lausanne Burn Center over three decades constitute concrete indicators that primary progenitor dermal fibroblasts should be considered as therapeutic flagships in the domain of wound healing and for regenerative medicine in general. Indeed, one single organ donation potentially enables millions of patients to benefit from high-quality, safe and effective regenerative therapies. This work presents a technical and translational overview of the described progenitor cell technology harnessed in Switzerland as cellular therapies for treatment of burns and wounds around the globe.

Cell therapies for skin regeneration: an overview of 40 years of experience in burn units.

The earliest attempts at cell therapy can be attributed to Charles-Edward Brown-Séquard (1817–1894), who sought to treat senescence and aging by injecting animal gonad shreds into his contemporaries, a practice that was widespread in late 19th century. Since then, advances in science have enabled the development of biological substitutes to restore the function of various tissues. Skin was one of the first tissues to be regenerated. For severe burns, patient survival depends on the restoration of skin function as a barrier against pathogens and control of body temperature and fluid loss. We aim here to overview the different cell therapy techniques implemented at the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), one of the two Swiss national centres of highly specialised medicine for burn care. In particular, we will describe the specific indications for each of the different therapies as well as future perspectives.

Patient care for postamputation pain and the complexity of therapies: living experiences.

AIM: Limb amputation traumatically alters body image. Sensations rapidly prevail that the limb is still present and 85% of patients portray phantom limb pain. Throughout the testimonies of amputated patients with intense phantom limb pain, we show the difficulty in treating this chronic pain with current pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. PATIENTS & METHODS: We qualitatively analyzed the therapeutic choices of five amputees, the effectiveness of the treatments chosen and the impact on patients' quality-of-life. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: In general, patients who are refractory to pharmacological treatments are in favor of trying alternative therapies. It is therefore crucial to design a combined and personalized therapeutic plan under the coordination of a multidisciplinary team for the wellbeing of the patient.