HairClone: Why Should It Work?
In this article we will take a look at the technical side of the hair cloning startup from Manchester, UK.
Much has been discussed about HairClone over the past couple of years. The company has amassed a global network of hair transplant surgeons that have signed on to become clinical partners. The likes of Dr. Bessam Farjo and Dr. Jerry Cooley are included in the list. To top it off, HairClone is pursuing an extremely advantageous regulatory pathway which would allow clinicians a fast track to providing treatments in the UK. These could have even begun by the end of 2019 if funding was in place to enable HairClone to produce cultured cells in a MHRA licensed facility. Recently, the company was back in the news to announce the start of its follicle banking service. But, within all of the media discussion and spectacle around the subject of freezing hair follicles, one topic that appears to be overlooked is the most important – why this therapy has a chance to work.
I’ve asked Paul Kemp, CEO of HairClone, to explain what makes HairClone’s cellular treatment unique and why the science behind it may point to a positive outcome.
Q&A With Paul Kemp CEO Of HairClone
FT: What are some of the differences between HairClone and previous industry attempts at commercializing a cellular hair therapy?
PK: We have a different goal than previous companies who have tried cellular injections. For starters, both Intercytex and Aderans Research Institute (ARI) were trying to grow brand new hair follicles from their injections. In the Intercytex clinical trials, cells were injected into a quarter-sized area of bald scalp where they saw the formation of vellus hairs but not terminal hairs. Our goal at HairClone is to not create new hairs but to retransform or rebuild miniaturizing hairs back into terminal hairs. We believe expanded single cell suspensions of DP cells are suited for this.
FT: What made you decide to try this again in 2016?
PK: Two important factors lead us to starting HairClone. The first factor was the work that Claire Higgins had published in her 2013 study ‘Microenvironmental reprogramming by three-dimensional culture enables dermal papilla cells to induce de novo human hair-follicle growth.’ This work looked at the transcription profile of dermal papilla cells in culture. It showed that in 2D culture, the DP cells become proliferative, but lose their ability to signal epithelial cells to create a hair shaft. But, when brought back into a 3D culture there is some reversion back into a normal dermal papilla phenotype. This leads us to believe in our current approach for the injections.
Secondly, the ARI data showed that cell injections intended to induce new hair formation could produce rebuilding of hair around the border of the bald area of the scalp. (Image below)
FT: Are there any other scientific advantages that you have now that were not available years ago?
PK: In the Intercytex days the only way you could tell if a you still had a functional DP cell after expansion in culture was to inject it into skin and see if it grew hair. At HairClone, we are now able to confirm that we have DHT-resistant DP cells before injection by analyzing their transcriptomic profile using a variety of incredibly powerful analytical techniques.
Previous DP Cell Results
The image below shows a result from a trial in 2012 using DP cell injections. Over a 6 month time period the subject in the photos shows objective hair regrowth and shrinking of his bald spot. While there is some noticeable growth in the center of his crown, there is significant regrowth around the edges which transitions back into dense hair. What results could be achieved here if the treatment continued for 6 more months?
Aderans – Alliance For Regenerative Medicine Presentation
In summary, initial attempts at cellular hair growth injections have already shown a proof of concept in humans. What HairClone is attempting to do is not a far-fetched technique. Still, before we get the chance to review any new photographic evidence from HairClone, the funding aspect of the business will have to fall into place. This can be achieved quickly through venture capital or a group effort from hair transplant surgeons. Finally, a few readers have recently contacted me about having consultations for HairClone’s banking/injection services in the UK, you can read about their feedback in the comment section.
Posted in Hair Growth Treatment, HairClone
Many readers continually ask for information/articles on treatments which are are close to a market release and HairClone is one of those treatments which could be available (in UK) in a short time period.
Readers Mattt and soul have contacted me recently about pursuing the HairClone treatment and they will be joining the discussion here. Paul Kemp will likely answer any additional questions that readers have.
Admin, thanks for all your periodic updates. My question is, will it be helpful for even people above NW 6 & 7?
Hi Dinesh, thanks for reading. Initially I could say that it would not be helpful for NW7. HairClone says they are in the research stage of developing a treatment to restore full follicles like TissUse, Tsuji, etc. which would be useful for a NW7. If the current treatment works as planned, on a NW6 it would mostly be useful for the hairs that are still growing and perhaps produce slight regrowth similar to the photo above. But it’s intended to treat hair that is thinning and would be most effective there.
Sorry if a little cynical, but that’s not a huge leap after 24 weeks.
Ur kidding right? That guy is just about NW6 and from injections alone he regrew a good amound of hair, that’s not easy to do with any medication. No one should be expecting fairy tale result here, remember current level is minoxidil & fin.
My thoughts exactly
Pablo; yes, after studying in pics again, I can see more improvement than I originally thought. I suppose I was too focused on the top of the crown.
These photos are from 2012. How about the ones from today?
Greg: Yes, I wish there were more photo results to show from today. But, they can’t treat patients and produce photos until they have the GMP licensed facility to culture the cells and make them available to doctors in the UK. I’m hoping that the article will help show they are a company with a treatment that could reach patients quickly and all that is needed is some investment funding.
With so many people with hair loss all over the world this has got to be the right investment for someone….think of all of the ideas in tech that get funded. Someone’s got to pay attention to this.
I thinks it’s worth mentioning that in one of the previous Hairclone articles Dr Kemp explains why they haven’t sought out venture capital or private investment and would prefer to raise the money themselves, hence the crowdfunding.
Essentially it boiled down to the fact that private investors would want to see a return on their investments as soon as possible which would put unnecessary pressure on HC.
Is it a one time treatment? I mean will all the follicles in the affected area become DHT resistant permanently?
I don’t think so SG, it seems unlikely that in one treatment the follicles would become DHT resistant.
Photo resolution is not perfect as they are taken from a Youtube presentation, you can watch the whole video here if you like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_JHbtXJ0a8&t=639s
Admin quick question how’s that pill going in Germany, the one that stops DHT and also turns grey hair to its natural colour ? I can’t remember the companies name any news and time for release frame ?
I actually don’t remember exactly what you’re talking about, a pill? The closest thing that sounds like it is RT1640 from RiverTown Therapeutics. Is that what you meant?
Biggest takeaway for me was “we are now able to confirm that we have DHT-resistant DP cells before injection “.. this sounds like an improvement.
The problem for most of these companies is funding if the balding billionaires Bezos and Musk would do something better with there money than wasting on space nonsense these treatments and products would be available a lot faster.
The thing is you don’t even need a billionaire for this, I’m not sure the exact figure but I thought it was a couple hundred thousand british pounds that would enable the initial human patients. As far as risk reward goes I think it makes sense, if I was millionaire I’d take very close look at it.
question for hairclone: does the dht-resistant cells make the follicles convert to dht resistant? what is the research so far on this..
Thanks for the great info, Joseph/Paul!
My question is regarding safety. Researchers like Ralph Paus have expressed concern over cellular multiplication, stating that it could be hard to control and may potentially lead to the development of tumors post injection.
Does Hairclone have any perspective on this?
After many years of injecting multiplied cells into mice and humans, tumors have never been a problem (in the traditional cancerous sense). The main hurdle with DP cells has been their changing into non-viable cell types when cultured.
Moon Kyu Kim was using cDNA microarray analysis to test cultured DP cells 20 years ago in an effort to study and overcome the problem. Since then, scientists have learned a lot more about how to test the viability of DP cells in vitro; yet, work remains in understanding how to keep cells viable and how to best test for viability of cultured cells. Perhaps Dr. Kemp has managed to overcome some of these issues.
While 3d culture addresses part of the problem with DP cell expansion, it’s not the entire story. Some of the problem can be addressed with growth factors, as demonstrated by experimental addition of WNT and BMP. Finding the right components of the expansion medium remains a key concern.
Another area of concern is consistency of results among patients. Some patients respond to treatment better than others. Affluent patients might not be overly unsatisfied with spending thousands and getting a low response, but those who are not well off might. I’ve never thought of this as much of a deal breaker though, as long as the risks are disclosed up front.
I’m speaking generalities here, as I have no knowledge of Dr. Kemp’s current research and what hurdles he has and has not managed to overcome.
R u a hair scientist? Kinda sounds like it
Man, imagine getting cell injections every 4 months with fin and minoxidil. I think if it worked consistent as the photo it could bridge the gap for many of us who are looking for alternative to FUE transplant
I will be having my follicles banked with Hairclone at the end of November.
Hopefully this will mean I will be one of the first to receive the treatment when it become available.
Mattt: if you don’t mind, what type of norwood are you and what made you decide to go for hairclone?
Hi Paul,
My hairloss isn’t too severe yet fortunately, I still have 90% of my hair. Just diffuse loss in the temples, worse on the left side.
Dad is a nw6 so thats where I’m heading.
Already on fin, I can’t tolerate minox.
I believe that if HCs treatment does what it says on the tin I could benefit greatly. Main goal is stablization.
Dr Farjo hopes that after a number of succesive treatments, DHT sensitive follicles will be mostly repopulated with the cloned DP cells and thus immune from further minaturization.
So in essence that would be a cure right?
I live in the UK so access to treatment is within reach.
These are the reasons I’m going for it.
Very cool and thanks for sharing. Sounds like you’re in a decent spot if you’re on fin and things are going ok with it. If Farjo is right about the follicles being immune from further minaturization or even a degree of that it would be a major win. Glad to hear someone from the UK is checking into this.
so, I am very confused: finally, HairClone it’s about injections or about bank follicles? if I am NW3-4 and I have small follicles/miniaturization, it is mandatory to go through bank follicles? if they have proper technologies why they claimed lack of funds???
Hi Drago, HairClone is about both, injections and banking follicles. I wanted to highlight the injections because I think people started to using the banking as a subject to undermine the treatment. If it is mandatory, I am not sure I hope Paul Kemp will see these questions and respond. At least I can say, HairClone thought for sure that the population of people who want solutions for hair loss would invest in the crowdfunding campaign so they kind of put all efforts towards that and now have to pursue other angles.
So, for Paul Kemp: as long as he didn’t proved the efficacy of injections it is difficult to attract money from investors. So, I make him an offer he can’t refuse ( i suppose 🙂 ): I am NW3-4 with a lot of small thinning follicles. if the cost of injections is X pounds (just costs with substances etc), I am ready to pay 3x if it will generate significant results + to be subject to promote his treatments. Done?
Banking follicles is just one step in the process. It isn’t mandatory.
I can answer two of your questions with one reply as I have just returned from two days presenting to potential investors (It is a long involved process as I have explained in other blog replies) and this is from one of the slides I presented.
1) Cryopreserving early “stops the clock” and reduces follicle ageing. It is known hairs go through ageing deterioration as well as hormonal loss. Banking now can potentially make use of ‘younger’ hair.
2) Additionally, younger hair grows better in culture. An added incentive to bank when young.
3) Banking allows multiple cell treatments over many years from one initial surgery
4) Patients who banked their hair, would be “first in line” for treatments when they become available
5) Patients who bank before treatment available would receive a discount on cell expansion when treatments are available
6) Banking provides early revenue to HairClone to accelerate treatment research & development, making the patient a ‘partner’ in the process.
7) Banked Follicles contain all the cells of the hair follicle and could be used for Rejuvenation AND later Regeneration treatments
8) Follicles remain the property of the patient
As previously asked, now that we have more information and more awareness would you be doing another round of funding to attempt to get funding from non-investors?
I have been in contact with a member of “HAIRCLONE”, he tells us that this process has the quality of injecting stem cells from the dermal papilla and the previously clonal expansion. About the information we know is that this treatment is offered without registration (off label). He did not rule out that in 2020 it would be possible, in fact a relative is about to ask for a date for this intervention.
I also understood that this treatment is more effective in people who are diffuse diluents. I am diffuse with many miniaturized hairs, I hope to achieve a fairly remarkable recovery with this treatment.
Admin, what do you think about the possible percentage of miniaturized hair recovery?
Hi Soul, thanks for sharing. You’re right that HairClone is focusing the treatment for thinning/receding hair. A diffuse thinner spread out would potentially have a result like you described if the treatment works as planned. As far as your question of possible percentage of density improved, if a good minoxidil response is usually around 12-15%, I would guess in the range of 20-30% if it works well since it is restoring the actual cells which create the hair follicles. One thing to add is we know the ceiling of minoxidil because people have used it for years and we can see the results, but if a DP cell injection does work it would be interesting to see what it is capable of after a 1.5 years of continuous treatment.
Also this member of the “HAIRCLONE” team told us that they would take about 100 graft from the back of your head.
Is it I or was anyone else under the misapprehension that HairClone would work for the gamut of alopecia (NW 1-7)? According to another person’s post, it won’t work for NW 7. Either way, I await the results of the HairClone litmus test which I hope won’t take aeons. I speak for all when I say “Mr. Kemp and your team, get going on testing”! 🙂
I think maybe early on some peeps thought this might be applicable to anyone but they’ve said theyre working on it in two parts, 1st a treatment to rejuvenate hair and then one that can grow new follicles. This was in the video they did for the fundraising. I’m wit ya tho let’s GO with the human tests HC.
I’m just curious is anyone reading this an investor or a wealthy person that is considering investing in this?
Hi
Thanks for the comments and I will try and do one “blanket answer” to cover the interesting comments raised. You are right that our first goal is to rebuild miniaturising follicles and NOT to generate brand new follicles. This means that there is a “window” for treatment. Follicles obviously can’t be rebuilt until they start to miniaturise and previous clinical data would suggest that follicles can miniaturise too far to be rebuilt (hence the crowns in the pics shown). Hairloss is a progressive process so treatments would have to be progressive in order to catch the follicles when they have started to miniaturise but before they have gone too far. This is where the banking comes in. A patient would have to just undergo one surgery to donate around 100 follicles and that would give us enough material to provide several treatments over the years as the “wave” of miniaturisation progressed. Various papers have shown that DP cells injected into the dermis can migrate to the DP region of the follicle and affect hair shaft dimensions. We will be checking the DP cells that we culture are DHT resistant so although we haven’t shown it by using these cells once they migrate to the follicle they should convert it from DHT sensitive to DHT resistant and it should therefore stay permanently. I STRESS this hasn’t yet been shown yet but it is our plan to show it as soon as possible. For patients like in those pictures with a mix of follicles that can be rebuilt and ones that have been miniaturising for longer and gone beyond this point of no return then this small region could be treated by a traditional hair transplant. Talking to our clinical partners with their deep experience over many years they see a range of personalised treatments combining cell therapy, hair transplantation rather than a “one size fits all”. What seems to be the case is the earlier a patient starts treatment the better and the ones in the pictures shown would be ones that had left it a little late for cell therapy alone but could benefit from a combination treatment.
Ralph Paus has always said that DP replacement is an interesting strategy for converting vellus to terminal hairs but has not yet shown the clinical results and he has several proposed systems that he is developing. As to the issue of safety, probably over a million patients have now been treated with cultured cells for a variety of reasons (most commonly wound healing) and there are no examples of adverse events or the formation of tumours.
Once we have funding to transfer our cell expansion protocols to GMP in order to enable clinicians to use them then clinicians in the UK will be able to utilised the regulator’s “Specials” provision if the clinician and patient feels that it is in the special clinical interest of the patient. All HairClone would do in this situation is to provide the cells at a GMP quality that the regulators would allow to be used clinically under our “Cell Expansion Service”.
Since the failure of the crowdfunding effort, we have been really busy presenting this plan to investors, it has caused us a delay of a year and counting but hopefully we will have some good news soon.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for taking the time to come back to FT and address all of our questions again.
I have one question;
In the original Intercytex trials there is mention of some kind of ‘stimulation’ of the scalp in conjunction with the injection of DP cells.
Would that still be relevant and beneficial with the new treatment?
If so, what does this ‘stimulation’ entail?
Thanks,
Hi
The old Intercytex trial was trying to generate new follicles. The 40 year old work of Colin Jahoda showed that in mice DP cells interacted with their epithelium to produce a new follicle. So this required the DP to produce signals and the epithelium to be in a condition to receive it. We felt that some minor damage to the epithelium would “prime” it to receive signals. We are trying to do something totally different here but please see my answer to Finn below
Hi, Paul.
Thank you for your reply.
I have another question.
About non-return miniaturized hair, what do you mean? what characteristics does that miniaturized hair have for non-return? refers to that miniaturized hair without translucent pigment that can only be observed with magnification? my hair is visible with very fine hair pigment but totally visible.
Thank you.
There is a paper by Bruce Morgan’s group that removed DP cells from hair follicles and determined how many needed to be removed before the follicle could not recover and went into telogen arrest. In mice they found that was 2/3rds
This would also agree with some clinical data that Aderans Research published where some follicles appeared to rejuvenate but others in areas that had been miniaturising for longer didn’t. We are only going to know on a case by case basis what the limits are when clinicians try it in patients
I like the idea of dp cells + PRP + microneedling + minoxidil at home I think this should provide some results that would actually change 1 or 2 norwood.
I like those ideas too! What we want to do in our next phase is to provide a “DP cell expansion service” that clinicians could use in the UK under the MHRA’s specials provision if they felt it was a useful treatment for their patients and they could try these additional treatments who would greatly inform the design of clinical trials that we could carry out with our Clinical Partners
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for your time to answer our questions. I’m very interrested to your treatment and I would like to know if it’s possible to get my follicles extracted outside of the UK. I’m currently living in Canada and there are doctors collaborating with Hairclone near my region.
Thanks!!
Hi
Dr Aditya Gupta based in the Toronto region was one of our first clinical partners and will shortly be able to bank follicles with us. Please see our website for contact details
Yes, I was also wondering this question if the doctor affiliates in the states are able to extract follicles yet?
Before our various clinical partners and banking associates can extract follicles for us we need to train them in the documentation and procedure to ship the follicles to us. This is ongoing and we will announce on our website when each clinic become authorised so please keep checking
Admin, it’s great to keep track of companies like HairClone as anything can happen with them but looking at the big picture I think that after Tsuji or some permanent solution releases it’ll take a couple years for the price to drop and then a few more years for the procedure to become more accessible. Would you agree with my general prediction of how they industry will unfold?
Greg, I think that’s pretty accurate. One thing to consider is Tsuji is the only doctor to say his treatment will cost around $300k, we don’t know what TissUse, etc. will cost if they are successful. Japan is looking like the first option for TissUse or Organ Technologies, and yes it would take a few more years to be approved in other countries after Japan. A treatment like HairClone could potentially bridge the gap in those years.
In the meantime we have potentials like a WAY316606 cosmetic or other growth factor topicals from companies like Giuliani.
Hi
Although we are also looking at new follicle formation, we don’t see what we are doing to rebuilding miniaturising follicles as “gap bridger” to these treatment. As Ralph Paus said in a recent newspaper article here in the UK
Rather than trying to grow completely new follicles, Paus thinks we should focus our efforts on trying to revive the ones we already have. He points out that even completely bald individuals still have 100,000 hair follicles all over their scalp. You just can’t see them.
“They’re miniaturised, so instead of making a normal long hair shaft, they only make a tiny, microscopically visible one,” he says. “But the organ is still there. So in order to solve the balding problem, we don’t need a single new hair follicle, we just need to get the ones already there to do their job properly again. If we could retransform these miniaturised follicles into big ones, we wouldn’t need a single hair transplant.”
Not saying this will work for sure but this seems like a logical explanation and possibly not a “bridge” too far., like some of the other stem cell/cloning procedures under development.
Is possible for Europeans to get the injections when they are available?
Respectfully, we don’t really know that Tsuji will cost $300K or what it will cost period? Heck, at this point we don’t even know if will even come to fruition! This is one treatment to me, that many are way ahead of their skis in assumptions.
Right I agree Yoda, the price could be 1 million pesos or 50k shillings, it won’t matter unless the treatment actually works and is approved. I was just referencing the ballpark figure that 2 Japanese bloggers claimed to hear from the company’s leaders.
I think that Tsuji’s price is while they’re testing on humans. A person can request treatment while on probation for that price. At least that’s what I understood from the video
Yes because of translation and the fact it was reported from a verbal conversation that was not recorded, there is some room for misinterpretations. But taking the treatment for that price while it is still in development seems like a choice for a very small patient population.
The fact of the matter is people are speculating on Tsjui’s price based on random internet videos and loose translations. I’m not one of those hanging on that this will be a near term solution. However, have we heard from Riken directly and definitively that the price will be $300k out of the gate? I don’t think so. To sit here and guess pricing on a treatment that hasn’t been released, let alone proven is a circle jerk boys.
This seems in closer grip than Tsuji until we hear any further announcement..
For sure admin, I’m not saying it’s you I’m describing, it seems misguided when read posts from guys who say they are holding off on current treatments as they are banking on Tsuji to be released in the next year or so. We don’t know what it will cost, when it will be released or if it even works. Hope is a great thing but it doesn’t actually regrow hair, as far as I know. 🙂
Hopefully, we see a cure of something of the like by the end of 2020. As far as pricing, these cures/breakthroughs need to be affordable for the average alopecia sufferer. Well, therein lies the problem of how much is the average alopecia sufferer is willing to pay. To me, £20,000-25,000 sounds reasonable provided one has a decent-paying job, doesn’t mind working rafts of overtime, and is frugal. Does anybody else want to weigh in on this?
C, I think those prices are reasonable compared to USD which is what I’d be paying. These things could be financed such as how they do with hair transplants as well which would make it more reasonable for a larger audience. I don’t think Hairclone is in that price range though, they seem to be lower.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7598573/Worlds-hair-bank-charges-men-2-500-freeze-cells-lab-bald.html New HairClone article came out today. It mentioned a price range of £3,000 to £7,000 for injection sessions. What do you guys think of that estimate?
If it works and gives excellent results Yoda is in!
That pricing is in line with expectations tbh.
I Remember Paul Kemp mentioning before that people who banked their hair before the treatment was available woukd receive a discount on their first round of treatment.
Could Paul confirm if this is still the case?
“Treatment will likely have to be repeated every few years and is expected to cost £3,000 to £7,000 each time, on top of the initial £2,500 fee that covers harvesting and the first year’s storage.”
I mean? Every few years? Thats just crap. Its not just the price, but the psychological consequence of always worrying with such management which requires often repeated treatments. You just want to relax and forget about the thing! Meaning we need something which would last 10 years! They know how to do it, it’s just a typical industry style nowadays : getting a life-time costumer on regular basis..it’s BS.
If Exosomes pan out and can start hair growth in about 30 days like some doctors are claiming we won’t need to worry about hair banking
I don’t see that being the case michael. People are using exosomes now and have some benefit but it’s similar to PRP, not a big leap yet unless the exosome tech can be refined a bit.
If funding is an issue why not use crowdfunding on kickstarter ? This would be funded in no time ..
Does kickstarter have an equity investment model?
Just curious bstest, if you think the crowdfunding would be successful on Kickstarter, why not on Capital Cell which they used. Do you think because of the higher # of casual observers who are on Kickstarter on a daily basis would help?
Any updates on when this would be available? Or approved to start practicing this in clinics?
Hi there,
I have indeed questions to Paul Kemp regarding this potential treatment.
——
I’ve been using Finasteride for 5 months now, and it’s been working out for me, I’m happy about it and I’m not stressing out anymore. However, I don’t know how many years I’ll be able to “buy time”, and ofcourse would not like to be on the pills for the rest of my life. I’m 25 and I always had cool hair and hairstyle/haircut, hair always meant to me..Then it kicked me a bit down when in May my hair got receded and thin, realizing I have AGA and the gens of that in family of my mother (bald uncle and cousin). I have selfies and, yes, greater change in worsening of my hair happened from 28th febraury to 13th April and then around 10th of May when realizing something is wrong.
It was fast. Luckily I did a research and towards end of May starting with 1mg Finasteride.
I have full head of hair, they’re maybe not as great as end of 2018 (but people around me wouldn’t notice a difference though), but I’ll be happy if they stay as they are now. Hair got thinner (there’s more miniaturised hair) specially around – the edge – of the scalp. The temples are “weaker” that the expected straight fade on the sides (higher part) isn’t as great as it was and is harder to do (when haircutting).
So for individuals like me, who have AGA – are receding and thinning – but still have full head of hair, need something that would tackle DHT and other androgens. We have enough hair stimulants and treatments to fill the bald spots such as traditional hair transplant. The problem is we do not know the rate of each individuals hairloss and what extent it will reach. That’s why I was always searching for a company who is actually working on how to save the existing hair – “convert them” to androgen resistant. Meaning working on the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. When that’s done, you can “safely” do a hair transplant and you don’t have to worry about more transplants, because of your further loss of existing hair.
I’m really sick of promoting Minoxidil alike treatments, microneedling and all that crap. Stressing out about hair everyday, putting something on your head, and not able to wash it off..It’s toxic, you lose focus on life. We need a solution that makes you forget about the problem with your hair and not something where you’re constantly in a worry and thinking and planning about putting daily smth on your head.
——-
So by reading this news HairClone would be a potential solution for me. I want to remain my hair, wouldn’t like to go through balding (doing the transplant would also mean people will notice), and maybe getting 1-2% of current hair(those that are thin around) bit thicker/stronger. Because I don’t know how long Finasteride will work for me, as AGA is agressive in my family, I’m eager about HairClone’s idea. As a consequence of my interests about the treatment I would list these questions:
1) How lasting effects would 1 treatment have? Meaning how regular would the treatment have to be. As we know, this probably woulnd’t be one shot cure, but probably a continued treatment? Would it be monthly, yearly, every 5 years or every 10 years? Really hoping for every 5+ years, at least, as it would make no sense for such costs and even stressing out so regularly.
I only found this:
“Hairloss is a progressive process so treatments would have to be progressive in order to catch the follicles when they have started to miniaturise but before they have gone too far. This is where the banking comes in. A patient would have to just undergo one surgery to donate around 100 follicles and that would give us enough material to provide several treatments over the years as the “wave” of miniaturisation progressed.”
This is a major factor. What is the approximate number of treatments and the rate of treatments?
2) Taking into an account I’m on Finasteride (1mg), would it make a difference banking hair follicles now or at the age of 30?
3) What EU countries are you planning out to expand to where banking will be available?
4) Why would you need 100 follicles for multiplication? Isn’t like 20-30 enough?
5) And finally, I would like to ask you for your thoughts, your view for a case similar to mine. Do you think I/we can be positive for those mid theirs 20s with AGA, who only started with Finasteride and have still full head of hair? Can it just work out for us, costly wise – the average Joes?
Thank you very much!
Hi
Thanks for your questions, I had assumed this thread was completed so haven’t been checking it. In answer to your very interesting questions.
1) At this point we don’t know how often we would have to repeat treatments and we expect it to vary patient to patient depending on their rate of hair loss/miniaturisation. Our clinical hypothesis based on various pre-clinical and clinical papers and reports on DP modification of hair follicles is that the follicles would have to have started to lose DHT sensitive DP cells before they could begin the be rebuilt and that follicles can miniaturise beyond the point where they can be rebuilt. That is one of the other advantages of banking as it would be much easier for us to go to the bank for follow on treatments rather than schedule more follicles to be taken and shipped and tested.
2) We are taking non-DHT inhibited follicles for banking. Although these will not miniaturise as a result of AGA we expect they will age like all structures do. So the earlier they are banked the sooner the “clock is stopped” by storing them at cryogenic temperatures
3) We are beginning to identify leading clinicians in the EU to invite to be clinical partners and have their clinics as procurement centres. Eventually we would like to have centres in every major city
4) We have fixed the 100 follicle number on our curre3nt understanding of DP cell growth. Again all patients will be somewhat different and 100 was a good compromise.
5) We can’t really answer this question as we don’t know at the moment what the cost of manufacturing will be.. What is more pertinent at this stage is that we will be limited initially by the number of batches of material that we can make. That again was another reason to start banking now. As well as making the logistics easier as I mentioned above and providing revenues for us to accelerate development of the treatment banking patients have already gone through the first step so are already “in line”.
I hope this answers your questions
regards
Paul
Hi Paul,
Will you still be offering a discounted treatment price for those who banked their follicles before the treatment had become available?
Hi Martin
Yes that is our aim. To discount what HairClone receives from patients for banking from our charge for the cell expansion when that is available. That wouldn’t include the payment to the clinician for banking and the VAT we would have to pay but would be the funds HairClone actually received. It is also worth mentioning here that those monies that HairClone receives for banking would go fully towards developing the treatment. This fits into our original aim to create a “community” of patients clinicians and scientists working towards this common goal.
Hey Paul,
Just wondering if you have any idea (if you can disclose) how much more money you need to get the GMP facility up and running and if you would consider (as asked before) another funding run.
Perhaps something in various brackets from (10,100,1,000)?
Also, when would you be opening up the banking in other countries such as Canada?