Research and Innovation

Stanford Medicine has been researching epidermolysis bullosa treatments for 30 years. Our dedicated research resulted in two major treatment breakthroughs—our gene therapy topical gel in 2023 and our skin graft therapy in 2025, which have proven so successful that they earned FDA approval.

We were one of two hospitals in the world to conduct the phase III clinical trial on the skin graft therapy, and today we are one of a few hospitals worldwide to offer it to patients. We are also active in a number of clinical trials on epidermolysis bullosa for various forms of the disease to increase treatment options even further. Learn more about our current EB clinical trials.

These discoveries are the result of decades of collaboration between doctors and researchers to advance knowledge and turn research discoveries into treatments for you/your child. Our team of providers also collaborates with other doctors and researchers across the globe to advance best practices in epidermolysis bullosa care and provide equal access.

Recent publications

Our Stanford Medicine physician-researchers are among the top in the nation for researching and treating epidermolysis bullosa. Below are a few of their recently published studies.

Prademagene zamikeracel for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa wounds (VIITAL): a two-centre, randomised, open-label, intrapatient-controlled phase 3 trial. The Lancet Yang, J.Y., Marinkovich, P.M., Wiss, K., McCarthy, D., Truesdale, A., Chiou, A.S. 2025
(This paper presents our phase III clinical trial process, results, and outcomes of our genetically engineered skin graft therapy.)

Sephardic origins revealed for rare skin disorder, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, in individuals carrying the unique c.6527insC mutation. Journal of Medical Genetic Warshauer, E.M., Maier, P.A., Runfeldt, G., Fuentes, I., Escamez, M.J., Valinotto, L., Natale, M., Manzur, G., Illera, N., Garcia, M., Del Rio, M., Mencia, A., Holguin, A., Larcher, F., Hellenthal, G., Brown, A.R., Consuegra, L., Rivera, C., Nogueiro, I., Tang, J., Oro, A., Marinkovich, P., Palisson, F., Titeux, M., Hovnanian, A.A., Sprecher, E., Skorecki, K., Norris, D., Bruckner, A., Kogut, I., Bilousova, G., Roop, D. 2025

A pilot trial of a novel skin substitute on chronic and recurrent epidermolysis bullosa wounds. JEADV Clinical Practice Ikeda, Y., Pathmarajah, P., Gaona, R., Deng, J., Alvarez, E., Mittal, V., Torkelson, J.L., Zhen, H.H., Bailey, I., Siegel, D.H., Oro, A.E., Tang, J.Y. 2025

Natural history study of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa wounds and patient reported outcomes using mobile application home photography. Scientific reports Fulchand, S., Nazaroff, J., Harris, N., So, J.Y., Villanueva Gaona, R., Alvarez, E., Li, S., Lu, Y., Eid, E., Tang, J. Y. 2025; 15(1):28767

Functional genotype classification groups distinguish disease severity in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. British Journal of Dermatology Pathmarajah, P., Eid, E., Nazaroff, J., So, J., Mittal, V., Harris, N., Li, S., Lucky, A.W., Gorell, E.S., Peoples, K.G., Pope, E., Lara-Corrales, I., Paller, A.S., Wiss, K., Perman, M.J., Eichenfield, L.F., Levy, M.L., Morel, K.D., Garcia-Romero, M.T., McCuaig, C.C., Saber, M., Marinkovich, M.P., Oro, A., Bruckner, A.L., Tang, J.Y. 2025

Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex Severity. JAMA Dermatology Johnson, A.N., Pathmarajah, P., Eid, E., Admani, S., Bauer, J.W., Bayliss, S.J., Gorell, E.S., Lara-Corrales, I., Paller, A.S., Reimer-Taschenbrecker, A., Chiou, A.S., Teng, J.M. 2025

Genotype-phenotype study of 149 epidermolysis bullosa simplex patients in North America. Elsevier Science, Inc. Ikeda, Y., Alvarez, E., Lucky, A.W., Gorell, E., Peoples, K.G., Teng, J., Brucker, A.L., Tang, J.Y. 2025; S61

A scalable and cGMP-compatible autologous organotypic cell therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. Nature Communication Neumayer, G., Torkelson, J.L., Li, S., McCarthy, K., Zhen, H.H., Vangipuram, M., Mader, M.M., Gebeyehu, G., Jaouni, T.M., Jacków-Malinowska, J., Rami, A., Hansen, C., Guo, Z., Gaddam, S., Tate, K.M., Pappalardo, A., Li, L., Chow, G.M., Roy, K.R., Nguyen, T.M., Tanabe, K., McGrath, P.S., Cramer, A., Bruckner, A., Bilousova, G., Roop, D., Tang, J.Y., Christiano, A., Steinmetz, L.M., Wernig, M., Oro, A.E. 2024; 15(1):5834

Mesenchymal stromal cell therapy in epidermolysis bullosa: current perspectives and future directions. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biolog Sia, T., Primavera, R., Johnson, M.R., Dukkipati, H.S., Teng, J.M.C., Thakor, A.S. 2025

Diacerein 1% ointment for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa Simplex: A randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology Teng, J., Paller, A.S., Bruckner, A.L., Murrell, D.F., Mellerio, J.E., Bodemer, C., Martinez, A.E., Lugo-Somolinos, A., Sprecher, E., Laimer, M., Wally, V., Chan, Y.M., Lin, S.Y., Spellman, M., Bauer, J.W.J. 2023: Jun 1; 22(6):599–604