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| SPEAKER |
| Prof. Mark Ferguson |
| CEO |
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Renovo
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MEETING
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April 2009 |
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| BIOGRAPHY |
Mark Ferguson is the co-founder (with Dr Sharon O'Kane) and CEO of Renovo, a company developing novel pharmaceutical therapies to prevent scarring or accelerate wound healing. Renovo was listed on the London Stock Exchange in April 2006, raising £67.5M. The company partnered its lead drug, Juvista for scar reduction, with Shire in a $825M plus royalties deal retaining rights in certain EU markets. The company has three drugs in the clinic: Juvista in Phase III and Juvidex and Prevascar in Phase II. In addition to his CEO role, Mark Ferguson is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester. He is the recipient of numerous international awards for his research, including the 2002 European Science Prize, and is the author of over 400 publications. He has degrees in Dentistry, and Anatomy and Embryology from Queens, Belfast and holds three Fellowships. He was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1999.
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| TALK |
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Development of novel pharmaceuticals to prophylactically improve scarring
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| DESCRIPTION |
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Many years ago it was discovered that wounds made on early embryos heal perfectly with no scarring. Analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic scar-free healing and adult scar-forming healing identified therapeutic targets. Transforming Growth Factor beta 3 (TGFß3), a skin morphogenetic factor, is present at high levels in embryonic wounds but at low levels in the adult. Human recombinant TGFß3 (Juvista) has now been administered to more than 1500 human subjects in 16 Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. It is given by intradermal injection to the wound margins, where it is safe and well tolerated. Juvista treatment results in scars which more closely resemble the appearance and structure of the surrounding skin: the scars are less red and the redness fades faster and the scar is flatter and less noticeable than comparable placebo-treated scars. Results from recent clinical trials in varicose vein surgery and scar revision surgery will be discussed.
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