New Hair Loss Treatments: 9 Best Websites for Info on Hair Follicle Cloning

The science of hair follicle cloning — or stem cell treatments for hair loss — is evolving rapidly. Alas, we remain years away from a practical, real-world alternative to current hair transplant techniques, even sophisticated ones that replace hair follicle by follicle. The real goal for most people suffering from hair loss is some sort of hair cloning process… in which a person’s own hair is extracted, then multiplied in a laboratory, and replaced en mass in the area of loss. This is the dream… and it remains elusive.

But for all those researching this potentially revolutionary field, as a treatment or an investment, there are a few good places to start. Here is our Top 10 (Actually, Top 9) List of the best websites about hair follicle cloning or which follow it closely. In no order of rank, they are…

1. Aderans Research Institute: “dedicated to developing state-of-the-art cell engineering solutions for hair loss.”

2. Intercytex: It promotes “an autologous hair regeneration therapy, a suspension of human dermal papilla (DP) cells, for the treatment of male pattern baldness and female diffuse alopecia.”

3.  Follica:  “Developing novel therapies for conditions and disorders of the hair follicle, the epicenter for the development and replenishment of human hair and skin.”

4.  Histogen:  It is marketing “a proprietary liquid formula created by the culturing of newborn fibroblasts in an embryonic-like environment and then harvesting the naturally secreted growth factors, anitoxidants and other synergistic bioproducts that are produced” that, it claims, may have “significant applications” as “an injectable for hair growth.”

5.  Luna Innovations:  It is use “nanomedicine” to stimulate new hair growth.

6.  Hair Science Institute:  Dr. Coen Gho’s clinic that claims a superior method for individual follicle transplantation.

7.  Phoenix Bio:  A Japanese biotech company that “propagates hair papillar cells which are the key element in hair growth and develops therapies that enable the implantation of these cells on patients thus regenerating the ability of the patient’s scalp to produce hair naturally.”

8.  Shisheido Research:  Another Japanese company that is doing research into hair multiplication technologies.

9.  Bernstein Medical Center for Hair Restoration:  An advanced hair transplantation clinic, the Bernstein Center also follows closely developments in hair cloning technologies and is a good source for a
“hands on” reality check on what is realistic at the moment.

Hair Loss Treatment Pioneer Luna Innovations Reports Third Quarter Gains

Luna Innovations, a company focusing pharmaceutical nanomedicines including treatments for hair loss, announced record revenue growth for the third quarter ended September 30.

“I am pleased to report that during the third quarter we continued to achieve our planned improvement in both revenue and bottom line results,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kent Murphy in an official statement. “For the first time, we achieved quarterly revenue in excess of $10 million. Our revenues of $10.7 million in the third quarter of 2008 represent an increase of 21 percent as compared to the same quarter last year, with growth of more than 20 percent in both of our lines of business. Our gross profit increased from $3.5 million in the third quarter of 2007 to $4.3 million this past quarter, and due in part to our continued focus on our operating expenses, our loss per share declined from $0.18 to $0.04. Excluding a one-time benefit that we realized on a litigation settlement with our former auditors, our net loss per share would have been $0.10, which is a substantial improvement compared to the third quarter of 2007.

“Our higher-margin product and license revenues continue to grow, and we remain on track to achieve a growth of approximately 30 percent in that segment this year as compared to last year. We also had continued success in strengthening our Technology Development Division and have a solid backlog of contracts specifically supporting much of our product development efforts.

“Also during the past quarter, we announced a National Institutes of Health grant from the National Cancer Institute to develop a contrast agent that is targeted to image brain cancers. Under this program, Luna is tasked with producing an improved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent to enhance tumor imaging and advance the diagnosis and treatment of this disease by directing nanomolecules to specific biological targets. We expect that our exclusive nanotechnology using carbon nanospheres can meet the needs of this program.”

According to the company, third quarter highlights included:

– Demonstrated an increase in the number of hair follicles and growth of new hair on a second species of mouse using a topical application of our proprietary nanomedical compound; identified the lead compound for future development efforts of this potential product.

– Achieved quarterly revenue greater than $10 million. Total revenues for the third quarter of 2008 increased 21 percent compared to the third quarter of 2007.

– Product and license revenues grew 21 percent to approximately $3.5 million in the third quarter of 2008, compared to $2.9 million in the third quarter of 2007.

– Gross profit for the third quarter of 2008 increased 21 percent to $4.3 million from $3.5 million for the corresponding period of 2007.

– Operating expenses decreased 3 percent to $5.4 million, or 50 percent of total revenues, from $5.5 million, or 63 percent of total revenues, in the third quarter of 2007.

– Net loss improved to $0.5 million from $1.8 million in the third quarter of 2007. Excluding the one-time benefit from a July 2008 settlement of a dispute with our former auditing firm the net loss would have been $1.1 million.

– Net loss per share for the third quarter of 2008 was $0.04 per share. Excluding the non-recurring, non-operating income related to the July 2008 settlement, net loss per share for the third quarter of 2008 would have been $0.10 per share compared to a net loss per share of $0.18 in the third quarter of 2007.

– Cash and cash equivalents totaled $15.2 million at September 30, as compared to $15.3 million at June 30, and $12.0 million at December 31, 2007.

For the fourth quarter of 2008, the company currently anticipates continued year-over-year growth in both its product and license segment and its Technology Development Division.

The company currently expects total revenue to be in the range of $40.0 million to $41.0 million for 2008. Also for 2008, the company anticipates a net loss in the range of $6.0 million to $6.5 million. The improvement in expected net loss for the year from our earlier guidance of $6.5 million to $7.0 million reflects the non-recurring benefit realized from the July 2008 settlement.

Accordingly, for the fourth quarter of 2008, the company expects revenue of approximately $10.5 million to $11.5 million and a net loss of approximately $1.8 million to $2.3 million. The higher expected loss in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared to the current quarter is primarily attributable to the expected increase in costs related to on-going litigation with Hansen Medical as Luna progresses toward trial in that matter.

Luna Uses Nanotechnology to Stimulate New Hair Growth

The search for a hair growth treatment that really works proceeds along a number of very exciting scientific fronts. Most of the new researching has been on non-embryonic stem cell technologies. But a few months ago, Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ:LUNA) announced that it has discovered that what it termed a “nanomedicine prototype” could actually aid in the growth of new hair follicles.

The photograph above, taken through a microscope at 10 X magnification, shows thin slices of skin revealing mouse hair follicles. The figure to the left is from a hairless mouse treated with a placebo (the control). The figure to the right, treated with Luna’s prototype nanomedicine, shows there are more follicle buds and the buds are more developed. After only two weeks of treatment, the photo to the right shows that the number of hair follicles in the mice treated with Luna’s prototype nanomedicine is four fold greater than that compared to the untreated mice (control photo to the left).

Scientists at Luna’s nanoWorks Division in Danville, VA, have been developing a portfolio of new candidates for a nanotechnology approach to treating hair loss. “One of our new nanomedicine prototypes, after only two weeks of treatment, was found to increase the number of hair follicles fourfold in mice which are born genetically hairless,” said Robert Lenk, President of Luna’s nanoWorks Division.

According to the company’s scientists, hair growth is a process that normally depends on the regeneration of tiny hair follicles. Hairless mice have a mutation that results in atrophy of hair follicles a few weeks after birth. The hair does not regenerate. Although the gene responsible for the mutation in the hairless mice has been identified, the biological processes that cause the follicle to atrophy are not well understood.

Luna is working with scientists at The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences to further pursue their discovery in the hope of identifying a therapeutic aide to potentially treat male pattern baldness. In addition to hair loss due to heredity, Luna’s discovery may also aid in hair regeneration for loss due to other medical conditions.

“What we have uncovered thus far is extremely exciting because it sheds new insights into the underlying processes responsible for keeping hair follicles healthy,” said Lenk. “We know that hair
follicles cycle between growth and atrophy naturally. These new results reveal that the balance can be tipped towards promoting follicle growth in hairless mice. Our hope is this discovery may eventually translate into a new class of medicines promoting hair growth in people who are balding.”

Luna’s program in nanomedicine is focused on using proprietary antioxidant technology to identify therapeutic candidates that are targeted with nanometer-scale precision to sites where pathogenic free radicals are produced. Luna is developing a portfolio of new therapeutic candidates that may address a number of diseases which are caused by free radicals.

“This is an example of how Luna’s innovative business model can help to identify candidates for potential products that we hope will some day improve people’s lives,” said Kent Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Luna Innovations. “The discovery that Luna’s nanomedicine candidate can potentially promote hair growth, an unexpected result of other research being performed at Luna, indicates that hair follicle atrophy can be reversed. We believe this may be the beginning of a generation of nanomedicines aimed at changing outcomes in intractable diseases.”

For more information on Luna Innovations, see www.lunainnovations.com.