Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a disease caused by genetic mutations in the gene for type VII collagen. Patients with RDEB develop large, severely painful blisters and open wounds from minor trauma to their skin. We are screening subjects with RDEB to evaluate characteristics of the subjects and their cells in order to develop new strategies of therapy and determine whether subjects could be candidates for treatment studies.

This study is a non-interventional, observational study that will evaluate the natural history of corneal abrasions in patients with Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (DEB).

Patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) suffer from acute and chronic post-bullous wounds along with impaired skin healing. These issues are attributed not only to mucocutaneous fragility and abnormal healing directly related to quantitative and/or qualitative constitutional abnormalities of collagen VII but also to a contingent cutaneous and systemic inflammatory component. This inflammatory aspect contributes to the perpetuation of skin lesions and delayed healing. Our primary objective is to define the systemic immunological/inflammatory signature of patients with RDEB with an aim to develop a strategy that involves using stem cells with high immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory capacity such as allogeneic placental stem cells (WJ-MSCs and trophoblasts).