April was an exciting month with new progress made in advancing our research project! Here are the highlights:
Sheep Trials Milestone
Dr. Palumbo and her team have completed five surgical procedures on the sheep, along with one complete histology study. These procedures involve the implantation of an extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from human foreskin tissue onto the sheep’s skin, and then analyzing the extent to which certain essential processes have taken place, including cell migration, re-epithelization, and vascularization. For the histological analysis, Dr. Palumbo reports that the results have been very promising, as we hoped. Comprehensive data will be included in the final publication.
Development of Surgical Approach
We have been working closely with our surgical partners in further refining our plans for applying this surgery on human patients in clinical trials. This will involve collaboration with the veterinarians working on sheep as well, in the near future. The intention is to take the results of the new technique of “burying” the tissue in the sheep’s skin, ensuring full vascularization, and using them to inform the technical aspects of performing this two-stage surgery on humans.
Forging New Partnerships
New partnerships are being explored with tissue suppliers across Europe in advance of human clinical trials. We aim to establish relations with reliable, ethical, and quality suppliers to support our future human trials and therapeutic activities in the long term. Furthermore, we are looking into potential partnerships with other organizations in support of additional aspects of our future goals, from human trials to scaling to meet potential future demand for therapeutics.
Histology Studies
HistologiX has completed the assay optimization stage of their histology study. This is a critical step that involves detailed calibration to ensure their approach is tailored to this tissue type. It ensures accuracy, efficiency, and reproducible results. An update will be published soon to share the results.
Slide from an upcoming update on the results of assay optimization
We are in the process of acquiring new tissue samples to supply both HistologiX and Dr. Giacomo Rossi for their respective histology studies. Once HistologiX has received an adequate supply of samples, we anticipate their study will be completed and the results publishable within three months.
Clinical Research Manager
We continue to seek out qualified candidates to fill our Clinical Research Manager position. We are excited about the potential to bring a new team member on board and carry out the critical role of managing our various research paths. We will keep the community updated on our progress in this endeavor.
Fundraising
Thanks to our incredibly generous and supportive community, Foregen raised a total of $18,391 in April! These funds enable us to secure laboratory space, materials, and staff necessary for our research. We are deeply grateful for your support.
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