EVOMEDIS GmbH, the Medical University of Graz (MedUni), and COREMED (JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgeselslchaft mbH) Graz have initiated a strategic partnership with the aim of propelling the shift from wound care to wound healing through the introduction of innovative solutions.
EVOMEDIS has pledged an investment of €1.5 million over a span of two years into a collaborative project. The objective of this project is to develop EVOCellic, a ready-to-use wound healing solution for treating burns and chronic wounds that offers a cell-based therapy as and when the patient needs it, thereby eliminating any waiting period.
This partnership will serve to deepen the existing cooperation between the parties, which is bolstered by the network of scientists, doctors, and research organisations of the Medical Science City Graz (MSCG). EVOMEDIS GmbH, located at the ZWT ACCELERATOR, was founded in 2020 as a spin-out from QRSKIN, a company based in Würzburg, Germany. The strategic intent was to set up a "spin-in" company at MSCG that works closely with local partners to develop new innovations for wound healing, leading up to the first proof-of-concept clinical trials.
EVOCellic is a keratinocyte-based tissue-engineered skin substitute made from allogeneic cells. It has been granted the Orphan Drug Designation (EU/3/22/2637) by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of partial deep dermal and full-thickness burns. When applied to a wound, EVOCellic facilitates swift and effective healing by stimulating the skin's natural regeneration process through the release of growth factors.
As part of the scientific collaboration, EVOCellic will undergo further optimisation of its production process and the necessary pre-clinical testing performed by a team led by Prof. Lars Kamolz (Director of COREMED and Chair of the Department of Surgery). The next stage of GMP production alignment is planned to be executed at the GMP facility for new cell therapeutics (ATMPs) of the Department of Blood Group Serology and Transfusion Medicine at MedUni led by Prof. Peter Schlenke.