Tissue Regenix Group Opens New Manufacturing Center in England

Tissue Regenix Group plc has officially opened its new manufacturing center in Leeds, England. The multi-functional facility is the culmination of a merger between the York and Leeds sites, and brings together the full weight of Tissue Regenix capabilities, according to executives. The medtech company, which uses biological (human and animal) materials to make replacement human tissues, has a strong Leeds-based heritage, having begun at The University of Leeds. It now operates offices and has established partnerships in the United States, Europe, and South America.
 
The dCELL story began in the year 2000 at the University of Leeds, when scientists developed the technology in the university lab. Tissue Regenix was established to bring this treatment to the global market and this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The dCELL process, which removes DNA and cellular material from biological materials such as porcine (tissue taken from pigs) or human tissue to regenerate healthy tissue in injured patients, addresses critical clinical needs in areas such as wound care, sports injuries and heart valve replacement.
 
“We are extremely pleased to announce the official opening of our new manufacturing and development center,” said Tony Hewitt, director of U.K. operations at Tissue Regenix. “The facility provides us with the space and capacity we need as we progress the commercialization of our products. Additionally, having the entire U.K. operations team based at the same site will lead to synergies across our business, allowing us to bring therapies to market more quickly than ever before. At Tissue Regenix we’re extremely proud of our Leeds roots and want to continue our close relationship with the university as well as the local community.”
 
dCELL technology is already being used in the treatment of chronic and acute wounds through DermaPure, specifically addressing the wounds caused as a side effect of diabetes. DermaPure has been shown to be extremely effective—60 percent of patients with a history of minimal response to other appropriate modalities, whose wounds were covered with a single application of DermaPure exhibited complete healing (Greaves NS, Benatar B, Baguneid M, Bayat A;2013) ¹
 
The Leeds site will initially focus on the production of decellurised porcine tissue for the treatment of orthopedic sports injuries, such as ligament repair and meniscus replacement, with these applications currently in clinical trials within the European Union. SurgiPure XD, a porcine dermis derived application, which recently received 510k market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the repair of hernias or body wall defects, will also be manufactured at the new Leeds site.
 
“Being able to originate this research and see it be applied to real life situations, changing the lives of patients around the world, through Tissue Regenix is truly fantastic,” said Eileen Ingham, one of the original researchers from the University of Leeds. “It’s wonderful for the community to have the manufacturing site situated in Leeds where the research originated and I am truly excited to see the potential of dCELL realized.”
 
Tissue Regenix currently employs more than 70 people worldwide and continues to commercialize the products of academic research conducted by a network of partners around the world. With increased life expectancy driving unprecedented demand for new technologies, the next phase for the company is turning its attention to orthopedic sports medicine, and the demand for regenerative medical treatments.
 
Tissue Regenix is a developer of regenerative medicine technology. The company’s patented decellularisation (dCELL) technology removes DNA and other cellular material from animal and human tissue, leaving an acellular tissue scaffold that is not rejected by the patient’s body and which can then be used to repair diseased or worn-out body parts. The company was formed in 2006. In November 2012 Tissue Regenix Group plc set up a subsidiary company in the United States called Tissue Regenix Wound Care Inc.
 
References:
1. Greaves N.S., Benatar B., Baguneid M., Bayat A. Single-stage application of a novel decellularized dermis for treatment-resistant lower limb ulcers: Positive outcomes assessed by SIAscopy, laser perfusion, and 3D imaging, with sequential timed histological analysis. Wound Repair Regen. 2013;21(6): 812-822