BiologicsMD: 2016 Summary
Last summer I was happy to discover BiologicsMD, a new biotech startup coming out of Fayetteville, Arkansas. At that time, the company had just announced a new patent for the uses of bone growth, hair growth, and prevention of hair loss. You might imagine it was the latter two that caught my eye. It’s been almost a year since I spoke to BiologicsMD CEO David Owens and featured an article on his company’s hair patent. I thought now would be a good time to check in and see how things were going in The Land of Opportunity.
A depiction of BMD-1141 activating the Anagen phase.
New Focus
One thing that’s changed since I last heard from BMD is their therapeutics aimed at different models of alopecia have now been made the priority at the company. I could elaborate further, but instead I’ll let BiologicsMD CEO David Owens explain more:
“We did update our website to move away from outwardly communicating on our programs in bone repair and spinal fusion because we are lowering our priority on those development assets until we complete some of our NIH grants. We have now prioritized alopecia as our main interest for moving our company forward. We are very impressed with our data in animal models of alopecia areata and chemotherapy-induced alopecia and are very hopeful that mechanism of action will translate into androgenic alopecia as well. As you are probably very aware, animal models of androgenic alopecia are not well defined and have been misleading in the past. We want to try and advance that science as well. We are fully committed to alopecia now and hope to be able to raise the money to move our company forward.”
Well, +1 for the alopecia community. We’re happy to hear that these promising peptides for hair growth are now the center of attention at BiologicsMD. Furthermore, I was interested to know how BMD planned on helping define animal models of androgenic alopecia, so I did what any dedicated and ingenious journalist would do – I asked them 🙂 This response was a bit more technical and required the know-how of BMD’s Chief Scientific Officer, Robyn Goforth, PhD. She explained:
“Currently there are no readily available animal models of androgenic alopecia; a previously developed mouse model of androgenic alopecia was not maintained (see Endocrinology. 2010 May;151(5):2373-80. doi: 10.1210/en.2009-1474. Epub 2010 Mar 16.). However, for hair-cycle stimulators such as BMD-1141, much has been learned about the mechanism of action on restoring hair growth through animal models of different types of hair-loss (drug induced, alopecia areata, and waxed models). For hair-cycle stimulators, testing efficacy in multiple animal models, and perhaps in a restored androgenic alopecia mouse model, can be coupled with data from early clinical trials to help establish how currently available animal models may improve the scientific understanding and utility of treatments for androgenic alopecia.”
i.e. They’re the real deal.
What They’re Working With
So what is this technology all about? For starters, we’re talking about therapeutic recombinant fusion proteins. From the BMD website: The first pharmaceutical protein, PTH-CBD™, is the fusion of the active domain of parathyroid hormone (amino acids 1-33) coupled to a collagen binding domain derived from ColH collagenase. The collagen binding domain (CBD) allows for the protein to distribute to the skin where the PTH (1-33) domain stimulates the hair follicles and restores hair growth. There you have it. They had me at “stimulates the hair follicles.”
Currently, Robyn Goforth is working on a topical formulation of liposomal delivery for the larger peptides, or proteins, which need a way to transport across the skin barrier to enter the epidermal layers where the hair follicles reside. BMD has been successful in getting their proteins to the hair follicle layer in previous experiments and is now optimizing the formulation for all of their therapeutic candidates for alopecia.
Speaking of Opportunity
For those industry financialists that are savvy enough to be on Follicle Thought looking for a good candidate treatment to invest in, first off, kudos. Secondly, I believe you’ll want to take a closer look at this:
BiologicsMD Executive Summary 2016.
The company is developing not one, but three treatments to address the different types of alopecia: alopecia areata, androgenic alopecia, and chemotherapy induced hair loss. That’s a broad market not including the company’s pending bone growth therapeutic pipeline.
BiologicsMD, we’re happy to have you aboard.
When will their product for aga be on the market?
It will have to go through clinical trials first, but the important thing is for them to raise capital to get their development underway.
Hello Joseph!
I’m so happy to see that! When it will be available? Thanks for all.
They are in Phase 2 for MPB? Thanks for the answer.
Actually no, preparing for Phase 1.
Really nice to see another possible product. I believe a lot of questions will be answered late 2016 and 2017. Lots of clinical trials are underway The race is on. I am mostly excited for sm. follicum. And brotzus lotion. Thanks Joseph for your time keeping us in the loop
Thanks Chris2,
I, too am looking forward to the treatments you mentioned. I really like the potential that this BMD treatment represents, I think perhaps it will have a dose response unlike SM, and I want to see their funding continue to get into a Phase 1 trial asap.
Sounds like they know their stuff! Very interesting and sounds promising-thanks Joseph!
Thanks James!
When will come ???
has anyone know something about the turkish product? txs in advance
Cris
Hello
When Kelopesia and Dr.Brotzu/Fidia will be available?I’m very very interested in buy a new treatment with better results. Thanks.
Great blog post! Much better than the hairpieces being posted on HairLossCure2020. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the compliment. I do have to say though, I like what that guy has done for everyone and definitely respect his work.
Just saw that my posts are moderated? lol I’ve posted maybe three times – why is that?
Hi there,
All posts are moderated on this site in order to keep the atmosphere positive and on topic.
Is it a problem to be solved until 2018 ? @Admin Thanks..
If you’re asking if BiologicsMD will be out in 2018, my answer is no. They would be looking at 2021 or close to it to have a product launched and on the market.
@Admin, When you think of hair loss problem is solved ? 2018-2019-2020.. Thanks
It’s not an easy guess, but I do think 2018 will have some new treatments available for us. Not sure which ones. You had a good summary in your other comment you just posted.
Medicine is moving very fast, Histogen, Repricel, SM, Jak inhibitör, Follica, Kerastem, tsuji, Brotzu lotion, kelopecia lotion, Follicum, Thorn medical, will be released soon. I think the problem will be solved until 2020. @Admin Thanks..
Good news my age is 28 and i lost my hair when iam 23 now iam in 7th stage of baldness can you please tell me if the treatment got success shall i get 100 percent hair growth if you dont mine can you please share some more details to email i.d
Hi Venugoapal,
This treatment has not started clinical trials yet. If you subscribe to this blog you will receive an update when they do. Subscription is on the right hand side.
Biologicsmd is going good on the way
It sounds like you’re talking about Follicum….