Histogen Developing Stem Cell Products for Hair Loss

Hair loss is such a common malady, among both men and women, it’s something of a surprise that so few companies have tried to develop a practical hair loss treatment. The loss of hair is particularly devastating for women. Women hair growth products are found everywhere on the Internet, but, like similar products for men, most are little more than snake oil.

However, the advent of new stem cell research has provided new hope for those suffering from hair loss. The notion that doctors could somehow mass produce hair follicles in a laboratory — taken from a patient — and then “inject” or transplant them on a mass scale on a balding person’s head has caught the interest of literally hundreds of millions of people. Alas, while the fundamental research is proceeding furiously, there remain significant problems in developing practical, real world products for hair loss.

A realistic hair loss treatment based on stem cell technology is probably still years away — yet the research is continuing. Companies such as Intercytex, Alderans and Follica are actively attempting to develop a hair loss treatment based on cloning technologies.

Recently, a new company has appeared on the scene: Histogen. Histogen, a regenerative medicine company founded in 2007 to develop stem cell solutions based on “the products of newborn fibroblasts without the use of embryonic stem cells or animal products.” Using its proprietary “tissue-engineering” platform, Histogen has created products that offer unique commercialization opportunities — including stem cell products for hair loss!

One of Histogen’s new products, dubbed HGEN-001, indicates capabilities for new hair follicle creation. In May, the company presented its findings on HGEN-001 during International Investigative Dermatology 2008 conference taking place in Kyoto, Japan.

Because of the “native soluble WNT proteins and growth factors contained in the formula,” HGEN-001 was evaluated as a stimulus for new hair follicle creation. In laboratory tests with mice, HGEN-001 was shown to significantly increase hair growth and new follicle formation.

“HGEN-001 induced a significant increase in hair follicle growth, as compared to the control, in our preclinical model,” reported Frank Zeigler, General Manager of In Vitro Products for Histogen. “Researchers have reported the importance of wnt proteins and wound healing growth factors in the induction of new hair follicles for over a decade. Our research helps to substantiate the importance of these active agents in follicular neogenesis, all of which are components in HGEN-001.”

Clinical trials for HGEN-001 as an application for hair growth are planned for late 2008.

For more information on Histogen and how its products may aid in the development of a practical, hair loss treatment, visit the company’s website.