Tissue repair

A method of promoting tissue repair in dermal epithelial cells in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a synergistic combination of (a) a therapeutically effective amount of a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activator, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, and (b) a therapeutically effective amount of a prototypical tissue-protective cytokine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein the HIF activator of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof is administered exogenously to the body of the subject being treated, wherein the HIF activator, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, is selected from a group consisting of:

• dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG);
• N-[[1,2-Dihydro-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-(phenylmethyl)-3-quinolinyl]carbonyl] glycine (IOX);
• N-[(1-Chloro-4-hydroxy-3-isoquinolinyl)carbonyl]glycine (BIQ);
• desferrioxamine (DFX);
• o-phenanthroline;
• iodochlorohydroxyquinoline;
• and cobalt chloride heptahydrate and the prototypical tissue-protective cytokine is erythropoietin (EPO) or an analogue or derivative thereof.