It will soon be possible to get a medicine injected just before surgery in order to prevent scars (or at least to reduce scarring considerably). Three clinical trials have shown this medicine promotes the regeneration of healthy skin thus resulting in less prominent scarring.

The medicine administered in these studies was Avotermin which is marketed by the biopharmaceutical company Renovo under the brand name Juvista. The studies examining both short-term and longer-term effects showed improved scar appearance compared with standard wound care and placebo.

“With low doses injected locally around the time of surgery, Avotermin is a well tolerated and convenient treatment. These studies suggest that avotermin has potential to provide an accelerated and permanent improvement in scarring.” says Mark Ferguson, of the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

The active constituents of this scar reducing medicine work according the same principle as that in scarless healing embryo´s. The technical name for this ingredient is Transforming Growth Factor Beta 3 (TGFβ3). This is a protein present in high levels in embryonic skin and wounds. This substance is also present in adult wounds but only in very low levels. Source: Renovo

Juvista can also be injected near the wound location when no surgery is performed. For example when an open wound as a result of an accident needs to be stitched. When this scar preventing medicine will be injected at the time of wound closure it will probably help prevent scar development.

At the moment Renovo is still conducting clinical trials. When these are finished, approximately 2011, the product will be available around the world.