Evaluating rhPDGF-BB-Enhanced Wound Matrix for Head and Neck Reconstruction
Summary
Skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma lesions that develop on the head and neck are treated by Mohs surgery or wide local excision to remove all tumor cells and preserve the normal tissue. These surgical techniques may result in large defects requiring reconstruction to restore function and aesthetics. Rotational flaps and free flaps are techniques used to reconstruct large, complex defects that cannot be closed with sutures, staples, or glue. Older, frail patients are particularly vulnerable to complications from these procedures often leaving them to care for chronic wounds until a skin graft can be placed. Phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) revealed a cohort of patients with a single nucleotide variant (SNV) in PDGFRβ having a higher incidence of chronic skin ulcers, skin grafts, and other skin and connective tissue disorders suggesting that the loss of PDGFβ signaling may impair healing following trauma. rhPDGF-BB, a recombinant human platelet derived growth factor protein-based therapy, signals through PDGFRβ to mediate inflammation, granulation, angiogenesis, and remodeling during wound healing and skin repair and is FDA cleared for diabetic neuropathic ulcers and periodontal bone and soft tissue reconstructions. These data suggest rhPDGF-BB may be a viable therapeutic strategy to augment the reconstruction of these complex defects by accelerating granulation, epithelialization, and wound closure.
Timeline
- Start
- 2025-04-01
- Primary completion
- 2026-07-15
- Completion
- 2026-07-15
Publications
- Clark CR, Blette BS, Guzman RAT, Lempicki MD, Karamitros G, Gergoudis F, Gutama BW, O'Neill DR, Savitz B, Smith J, Shirey-Rice JK, Pulley JM, Lynch SE, McGonigle TW, Thayer WP. Study protocol and statistical analysis plan for a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial evaluating recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor B (rhPDGF) in the reconstruction of complex head or neck defects following skin cancer excision. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 May 4:2026.05.01.26352276. doi: 10.64898/2026.05.01.26352276.
- Younan SA, Ueland TE, Savitz BL, Jerome RN, Budine TD, Hawkins AT, Thayer WP, Wu DT, Lynch SE, Clark CR. Recombinant Platelet-Derived Growth Factor in Tissue Repair: A Review Exploring Frontiers in Regenerative Medicine. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2026 Apr 1;157(4):759-770. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000012426. Epub 2025 Sep 15.
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | rhPDGF-BB | Protein / enzyme biologic | 0.3 mg/ml | — |
Indications
No indication recorded.