New Research Advancement Revitalizes Sleepy Hair Follicles: Possible Revolutionary Solution for Baldness, Experts Claim.
In a groundbreaking development, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a new drug called PP405. This drug, designed to reactivate dormant hair follicle cells, could potentially induce new hair growth and offer a significant advancement in the treatment of various types of hair loss.
The drug, applied topically to the scalp, works by boosting the body's natural availability of lactate. This directly affects the follicles' ability to grow hair. Unlike current treatments like minoxidil and finasteride, which only slow down hair loss, PP405 takes a different approach by waking up dormant hair follicles.
The development of PP405 is the result of research conducted by Heather Christofk, Ph.D., a biochemist at UCLA, and her collaborators, William Lowry, Ph.D., a stem cell biologist at UCLA, and Michael Jung. The drug is an analog of UK-5099 and is designed to inhibit a specific protein that moves pyruvate into mitochondria.
Hair follicle stem cells have a different metabolism when they are dormant compared to when they are active and growing hair. In periods of dormancy, these cells have lower levels of lactate, a key molecule for creating energy without oxygen. Increasing lactate levels in dormant hair follicle stem cells could potentially switch them on and stimulate hair growth.
PP405's action is confined to the scalp, reducing the likelihood of side effects. The safety trials for PP405 have been completed, and a trial to test its effectiveness is planned for next year. The research on PP405 has been published in the prestigious journal Nature Cell Biology.
Pelage Pharmaceuticals, founded by the collaborators, is continuing research on PP405 with the aim of bringing it to market. Pelage Pharmaceuticals, originally founded by Heidelberg Pharma AG, is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Connie Chang, a freelance writer covering science, parenting, and health in the Bay Area, reports on this development. Chang, a recovering scientist, inveterate knitter, and fan fiction enthusiast, has a keen eye for translating complex scientific research into accessible and engaging stories for the general public.
However, the research on PP405 has faced challenges. Federal funding for the project has been cut due to the Trump Administration's cuts at UCLA, and the researchers are now seeking alternative sources of support. Despite these challenges, the promise of PP405 as a potential treatment for various types of hair loss, including chemotherapy-induced hair loss, remains a beacon of hope for many.
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