Hair loss news first:
— A very busy month for Aclaris Therapeutics. First the company updated its product pipeline page and added photos for each dermatological condition that the company’s various products are supposed to treat. Then they filed for Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for their oral alopecia areata product ATI-50001 with the US FDA. Then, on November 15th the company announced positive results for its topical seborrheic keratosis product (A-101) phase 3 clinical trials (webcast here); and finally, on November 16th the company announced a public offering of its common stock. If successful, the funds raised from this offering will partly be used towards research and trials for Aclaris’ JAK inhibitor products.
— In the past month, HairClone has added the well known Dr. Russell Knudsen, Dr. Robert Leonard and others to their clinic partner team.
— More good news for alopecia areata/totalis/universalis sufferers. This time its two patients from Brazil who were taking JAK inhibitor toafacitinib.
— Dr. Christophe Guillemat updated his blog a week ago. I am still skeptical about his work, but there is a huge amount of interest. Someone commented in the past that he is not a doctor, but I am not sure. Also see my initial post on him.
— Sharp (Japan)’s plasmacluster ion technology promotes hair growth. Sounds hard to believe. The ending of the article about reduced dandruff and itching is more believable.
— Cellmid (Australia) raises sufficient funds to start selling its Evolis line of FGF-5 inhibiting hair loss products in the US.
— Hairdresser Chad Gunter is very pleased with his PRP results from Dr. Laura Bennack. According to Dr. Bennack, “the most dramatic results are on men and women who are at the early stages of hair loss”.
— Yet another growth factor (human hepatocyte growth factor) linked to promoting hair growth. Also see my recent post on the various growth factors that benefit hair growth.
— Kerastem has more US clinics participating in its clinical trials.
— Missed an important study’s findings last month: BPH drugs such as finasteride and dutasteride (both are also used to combat hair loss) do not raise the risk of erectile dysfunction.
— Wen hair care product lawsuit concludes in favor of customers.
And now on to medical items of interest:
— Gene therapy in a box courtesy of the Fred Hutchinson cancer research center.
— CRISPR gene editing tested in a person for the first time in China.
— “Any idiot” can now create mutant CRISPR engineered mice.
— Gene therapy to reverse certain types of genetically inherited blindness could be approved for use as soon as next year.
— And thereafter, bionic superhuman eyes.
— Amazon’s Jeff Bezos partners with the Mayo Clinic and others to enter the anti-aging industry.
— Terminally ill 14 year old in the UK allowed to be cryogenically preserved. Also, a reality check.
— Samantha Payne’s Open Bionics allows anyone in the world to download and 3D print their own bionic limbs.
— Brain implants allow paralyzed monkeys to walk. The Swiss scientist goes to China to conduct this work due to friendlier regulations. More here.
— First at-home brain implant allows paralyzed woman to communicate.
— Genetically modified pig’s heart transplanted into a monkey in South Korea breaks prior world record. The monkey survives for 51 days. Pig’s hearts are thought to be a close match to the human heart. Very cruel animal experiments, but hopefully they help humans in future.
— Dr. Anthony Atala is still optimistic about printed organ replacements.