January 28, 2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Surgeons at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are the first in the world to use a new product to help speed the repair of skin damaged by severe burns and deep cuts.

John Loftus, MDCohealyxTM is a collagen-based skin substitute. It’s designed to stimulate skin growth and blood vessel formation in patients with full-thickness wounds that go through multiple layers of skin. The use of Cohealyx is followed by a skin graft from an area of the body with healthy skin. 

“When a patient has a severe burn or deep cut that goes through the skin’s two layers, the skin is unable to repair itself putting the patient at risk of infection and scarring,” said John Loftus, MD, surgeon and clinical assistant professor of surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Skin substitutes can help regrow skin creating an environment that can support a skin graft.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted 510(k) clearance for Cohealyx in December. Preclinical studies in animal models found that when used in a two-stage procedure, the product produced tissue that can be followed by a skin graft faster than similar products. Current treatment options vary from 2 – 4 weeks until skin graft.

“The ability to facilitate quicker wound closure may reduce the amount of time patients spend in the hospital and improve health outcomes,” Loftus said. 

Cohealyx is branded by AVITA Medical and co-developed with Regenity Biosciences.

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Media Contact: Serena Smith, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, Serena.Smith@osumc.edu

 

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