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ACell: Regenerative Medicine to Support Wound Healing

Patrick A. McBrayer, President & CEO

ACell^® is a leading regenerative medicine company that develops and manufactures unique extracellular matrix (ECM) technology-based products that facilitate the body’s ability to repair and remodel site-appropriate, biomechanically functional tissue. “We have been offering physicians and their patients cost-and clinically- effective solutions for managing hard to heal wounds, such as acute and surgical wounds, for almost 20 years now through our Cytal^® Wound Matrix and MicroMatrix^® devices,” says Patrick A. McBrayer, CEO and President at ACell.

The company was established in 1999, based on the research of Harvard professor, surgeon, and tissue engineering pioneer, Dr. Alan Spievack. Leveraging his research, ACell developed their platform MatriStem UBM^™ (Urinary Bladder Matrix) technology, based on ECM derived from the porcine urinary bladder. ACell uses proprietary processing methods to prepare the porcine bladders, leaving an ECM containing the two innermost layers of the bladder intact—lamina propria and epithelial basement membrane. The unique structure and composition of UBM differentiates ACell’s devices from other ECM-based devices on the market and facilitates the deposition of site- appropriate tissue that mirrors surrounding tissue in terms of form and function.

McBrayer explained, in the normal healing process, the body works to close disrupted tissues to prevent infection and further tissue damage, leading to the deposition of fibrous scar tissue. But with ACell’s wound products, the inflammatory response is minimized, and the body is able to remodel more natural tissue¹.

Our first responsibility is to the patient, it is our credo and we take it as a sacred mission

“We see physicians routinely report that the resulting tissue after using Cytal or MicroMatix is more durable than scar tissue, which can have a significant impact on patient quality of life,” said McBrayer.

How does this happen? The healing process is primarily regulated by the immune system, where a key player is the macrophage. There are two main types of macrophages involved in the healing process- M1 and M2. M1 macrophages are pro-inflammatory and are involved in cleaning up debris, while M2 macrophages are anti-inflammatory and are involved in tissue remodeling. While, pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages play an essential role in the early stages of wound healing, the ability of the body to transition towards the predominantly M2 pro-remodeling macrophage population is crucial.

This is where UBM comes in; when applied to wounds, the body will recognize any ECM as being a foreign body. However, unlike other products, UBM provides an environment in which macrophages are more likely to exhibit an M2 macrophage phenotype. Thus, the macrophages and other cells break down the UBM as they simultaneously lay down new proteins1. Ultimately, these cells remodel the scaffolding into a tissue that is similar to the native structure and biomechanical function of surrounding tissue.

Envisioning the future, ACell is investing continually in research and development, looking for new ways to help health care providers and patients manage wounds. They are also expanding globally as well as looking forward to other clinical applications where UBM has shown promise.

“Our first responsibility is to the patient, it is our credo, and we take it as a sacred mission. Everyone at the company regardless of the position realizes that our jobs are all focused on making sure we provide a quality, effective product for our patients, surgeons, and other medical practitioners,” concludes McBrayer (MK-1094.0).