Epidermolysis bullosa is a debilitating skin blistering disease currently without a cure. Severe disease subtypes such as junctional epidermolysis bullosa and recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa often cause grievous and poorly healing blisters that increase susceptibility to life-threatening complications.

Tissue-engineered skin substitutes comprising human skin cells (dermal fibroblasts and/or epidermal keratinocytes) are currently being investigated as potential curative therapies in clinical studies to promote long-term wound healing.

Epidermal tissue-engineered skin substitutes comprising autologous keratinocytes, especially those using genetically corrected autologous patient cells, have demonstrated the most promising long-term wound healing benefits for junctional epidermolysis bullosa. For recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, which has a different molecular pathology, tissue-engineered skin substitutes comprising both fibroblasts and keratinocytes may prove more effective for promoting long-term wound closure.