Press Release

Press Release: 10 August 2012 2:00 PM (FREMONT, CALIFORNIA))

Treatment Epidermolysis Bullosa Using HELICOLL, an Advanced Bio-engineered Collagen Dressing CLINICAL USAGE OF HELICOLL IN THE TREATMENT OF EB WOUNDS Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a genetic disorder of a patient's type-VII collagen which causes the skin to be fragile, resulting in numerous blisters and wounds. EB is a life threatening disease in infancy. Blistering affects primarily the hands and feet which can lead to infections, dehydration, and other problems. There is no known cure for EB although possible genetic based treatments are under investigation. The disorder requires constant dressing applications. Currently, standard non-biological dressings are being used in treatment, with immense pain and which does not promote repair the wounded tissue. Professor Dr. Leland Winters, (Clinical Director of EnColl Corporation), and David Gorsulowsky, (Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine), recognized the potential of using HELICOLL Collagen Dressing on patients with EB. Dr. Gorsulowsky with attending physician Anna Bruckner in the Stanford EB clinic agreed to treat critical patients with HELICOLL. The purpose of their study is to confirm HELICOLL is clinically effective in promoting EB wound healing and in reducing the patient's pain. The exact prevalence of EB is unknown; however, EB is estimated at one in 40 thousand persons. Accordingly, the affected population in the USA is between 15 and 20 thousand persons. The market size in the US is estimated to be $250M annually. There will b no existing cure for EB until genetic research makes a breakthrough. The genes identified with EB have been determined and additional research may lead to a cure in time. Today, the treatment of EB requires daily bandage changes Patients can live into their 40s with the most common form of EB. HELICOLL will the clinical needs of the affected EB patients as it promotes wound healing and will reduce pain during the required multiple bandage change. The pain on daily bandage changes causes the most anguish. HELICOLL offers an effective treatment for these patients because. HELICOLL product is a good fit because it is easy to apply, can be left on for a week, and the pain reduction upon application of HELICOLL is well documented. Additionaly, HELICOLL is highly bioactive promoting wound healing, and non-immunogenic. The pain on daily bandage changes causes the most anguish. HELICOLL offers an improvement in the treatment for these patients,. HELICOLL product is a good fit because it is easy to apply, can be left on for a week, and the pain reduction upon application of HELICOLL is well documented. Additionally, HELICOLL is highly bioactive promoting wound healing, and non-immunogenic. HELICOLL is an ideal choice for wound dressing on EB skin wounds. Additionally, there are discussions on joining one of the gene therapy EB clinical trials being performed at Stanford University. In this trial patient skin cells are treated with type VII collagen gene in a retrovirus; and, subsequently the cells are grafted back to the patient. The of proposed alternative to grafting the genetically modified patients cells back to the patient is to deliver these genetically modified cells in an EnColl's bio-resorbable HELICOLL Dressing. For additional information, Contact: Leland Winters, MD, Senior Clinical Director, EnColl Corp. 4576 Enterprise Street, Fremont, CA-94538, USA www.encoll.com Tel. 510-396-8581