By Jennifer Van Brunt
Senior Editor

Researchers investigating the clinical utility of Organogenesis Inc.'s GraftSkinfull-thickness living skin equivalent in patients with chronic skin ulcers presented datafrom ongoing trials Tuesday at the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care in San Diego.

Gerit Mulder, head of the Wound Healing Institute in Aurora, Colo., reported that, inpatients treated with GraftSkin, “a rapid increase in granulation tissue was observedalong with a decrease in wound drainage and reduction in pain.

“Many wounds that have resisted healing with traditional therapy, have healed in amatter of weeks,“ Mulder added.

The efficacy trial on GraftSkin, which is classes as a medical device, for treatingchronic venous ulcers included computer-selected, randomized control patients who receivedthe conventional therapy, a topical wound dressing called a Unna paste boot.

In these trials, the scientists saw 100 percent take rate of the grafts in most of thepatients with a single application explained Jennifer Pierce, Organogenesis' director ofcorporate communications. If the take rate is less than 50 percent, the patient gets a newapplication of a sheet of GraftSkin. Up to five applications may occur over 21 days.

To date, 112 patients have received GraftSkin, which consists of cultured humankeratinocytes and fibroblasts in a bovine collagen base, for various indications, Piercesaid, with no immune response or adverse reaction being observed.

The Canton, Mass., company's stock (ASE:ORG) closed Tuesday at $8.13 a share, up 13cents.