Kyocera launched a joint research to develop a regenerative medical treatment for hair loss, targeting practical use in 2020
08 August 2016
The partnership aims to develop technologies and products for treating hair loss by regenerating hair follicles. Because no existing treatment can increase the number of hair follicles, any viable method of regenerating hair follicles has great potential to succeed.
The joint research works on a technology to collect stem cells from the patient’s own hair follicles, followed by the processing of these follicles and autografting on the same patient. For the treatment of androgenic alopecia (the most common type), a small number of hair follicles will be collected, from which stem cells will be isolated, cultured and amplified to produce hair follicle germ. The regenerated hair follicle germ will be packaged and delivered to a medical facility for use in transplantation therapy for the patient. The method furthermore allows control of the hair color by adding pigment stem cells, and the number of hair follicles regenerated.
Kyocera is responsible for technical aspects such as the development of cell processing devices. While various methods are under evaluation, Kyocera’s piezoelectric technology is of particular interest as a means of discharging small amounts of viscid cells in a precise manner during the cell processing process.
Kyocera is expanding its expertise in creating medical components for orthopedic joint replacement and dental implants to support this future application of regenerative medicine.
Kyocera, RIKEN and Organ Technologies are aiming for clinical research in Fiscal Year 2019 (Year ending March 31, 2019), with the goal to put the technologies into practical use in 2020.
Source:
http://www.kyocera.co.uk/index/news...ZGljYWxfdHJlYXRtZW50X2Zvcl9oYWlyX2xvc3M~.html
I honestly don't think they'd make the same mistake twice in saying that they plan to release this treatment in 2020. This was an update to the original press release (just happened 6 days ago, and has already been mentioned in here). It seems so surreal, but I honestly think they're gonna make this avaliable in 2020.
These are some questions I would like to ask Dr. Tsuji if I had the possibility.
1. Have they worked out how to influence the direction of new hair shaft growth? Hairs grow in different directions according to their location on the scalp and even based on the individual's own characteristics. How will they accomplish this task?
2. Can they treat areas if scalp that already have a lot of hair covering it (relatively speaking)? For example, could a 1cm2 area of scalp containing 90+ growing hairs still be treated?
3. Will the hair germs inherit any damage or ageing that the donor hairs might possess, or will they literally start from "Day One" as if in a new born baby? This is especially important for those with weak/unstable donor areas.
Why are you so concerned with the direction of the hairs? And why do you think it would be any different than when your "natural" hairs sprouted? In theory, the new follicles will develop and emerge just as your original hairs did since they're starting from germs.
No point in constantly debating the release of this. It's years away either way.
I think it's pretty clear their intent is for a commercial release in 2020. Delays are likely in any situation, so I wouldn't expect a 2020 release - although that'd be great.
Multiple press releases state a release of 2020. If you don't think a multi-billion dollar company like Kyocera is privy of what the intended release date is with their partners you don't have a clear understanding of how the business world works.
Again 2020 is their intent, whether it happens remains to be seen.
Why don't we get back to a more constructive conversation.....
I'm sure this will be answered at some point, you've asked this question about 10 times lol. @Swoop said HairLossTalk.com is going to try to set up a Q&A with Tsuji, maybe we can get an answer then.In the mouse studies, Dr. Takashi had to use nylon threads to guide the direction of the growth of the new hairs.
He has not yet elucidated how they will get the direction right without using threads.
Maybe something underneath the skin will take place naturally so that the hair grows the right direction. But then that begs the question why the need for the nylon threads in the studies?
I'm sure this will be answered at some point, you've asked this question about 10 times lol. @Swoop said HairLossTalk.com is going to try to set up a Q&A with Tsuji, maybe we can get an answer then.
I thought I remember someone finding paperwork from Tsuji earlier in this thread that stated they'd use a material other than nylon that the human body can degrade.
Regardless if you were a NW7 and this treatment could bring you back to a NW0 would you really care to have some strings hanging out of your head for 2-3 weeks? It would be a small price to pay for a full head of hair. We don't even know what the "strings" would look like.
Yeah I know I've asked this questions many times because I think it's important.
I personally wouldn't mind having threads, but I don't think it would be practically possible to have hundreds of threads hanging off your head.
Furthermore, if they had to guide the direction of every single thread manually, it would be a lot more time consuming and technically challenging than if the germs could just be injected and grow organically in the correct direction.
Tsuji developed a biodegradable guide which the makes the hair grow in the right direction- without it cysts would form. In the study they used tape and a nylon thread as a prototype to hold the primordium in place.Why are you so concerned with the direction of the hairs? And why do you think it would be any different than when your "natural" hairs sprouted? In theory, the new follicles will develop and emerge just as your original hairs did since they're starting from germs.
I just did a search and saw you were the one I was referring too.Tsuji developed a biodegradable guide which the makes the hair grow in the right direction- without it cysts would form. In the study they used tape and a nylon thread as a prototype to hold the primordium in place.
I just did a search and saw you were the one I was referring too.
Do you have a source or link? Not that I don't believe you, I'd just like to educate myself.
Thanks!
It's a race to the finish line (2020).
Hold on to your hairs, last one there's a baldie.