• Histological evaluation of wound healing [ Time Frame: 3 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Adverse event occurance [ Time Frame: 6 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

An exploratory Phase-II trial with intradermal RN1001 (Avotermin) to investigate scar prevention and reduction and acceleration of healing. The trial has an additional objective to evaluate several different scar assessment techniques that can be used in future clinical trials in the prevention and reduction of scarring.

Double blind, randomised, Placebo and Standard Care controlled, single centre study. Each subject receives a total of 6 wounds, two incisions and four punch biopsies. Each subject serves as their own control, i.e. Arm 1 incisions/biopsies randomly received one of two treatments and Arm 2 incisions/biopsies received the same treatments as for Arm 1 but in reverse. The randomisation of the treatment allowed for control of possible positional effects on healing/scarring. Healed scars from incisional wounds excised from Arm 1 and Arm 2 after 6 months for histological analysis.

• Drug: Avotermin
  Intradermal administration
  Other Name: Juvista
• Drug: Placebo
  Placebo

• 1: Experimental
  5ng Avotermin
  Intervention: Drug: Avotermin
• 2: Experimental
  50ng Avotermin
  Intervention: Drug: Avotermin
• 3: Experimental
  100ng Avotermin
  Intervention: Drug: Avotermin
• 4: Placebo Comparator
  Placebo
  Intervention: Drug: Placebo
• 5: No Intervention
  Standard Care

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinically healthy, male and female subjects aged 60 years and over. All females will be at least 2 years post menopausal.
• Weight between 50 and 150kg or a body mass index within the permitted range for their height using Quetelet's index-weight (kg)/height²(m). The permitted index is between 15 - 35 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects who on direct questioning and physical examination have a history or evidence of hypertrophic or keloid scarring or with tattoos or previous scars in the area to be biopsied.
• Subjects with a personal history of a bleeding disorder.
• Subjects with a skin disorder that is chronic or currently active and which the investigator considers will adversely affect the healing the acute wounds or involves the areas to be examined in this trial.
• Subjects with any clinically significant medical condition that would impair wound healing including renal, hepatic, haematological, neurological or immune disease.
• Subjects with a history of clinically significant drug hypersensitivity to lignocaine or allergy to surgical dressings to be used in this trial.
• Subjects with any clinically significant abnormality following review of pre trial laboratory data and physical examination (see above).
• Subjects who are taking, or have taken, any investigational drugs, long term oral, topical or inhaled corticosteroid therapy, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or anti-coagulant drugs in the thirty days prior to Day 0.
• Subjects who have evidence of drug abuse.
• Subjects who are known to have or had serum hepatitis or who are carriers of the hepatitis B surface antigen or hepatitis C antibody. Subjects with previous vaccination against Hepatitis B are not excluded per se.
• Subjects who are known to have or had serum hepatitis or who are carriers of the hepatitis B core antibody and who show less than 10 units per litre of Anti-HBs.
• Subjects who have previously had a positive result to the test for HIV antibodies, or who admit to belonging to a high-risk group.
• In the opinion of the investigator, a subject who is not likely to complete the trial for what ever reason.