Calecim, Elevai Labs, Exosomes

Topical Exosomes for Hair Growth

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In 2019 when I first discussed exosomes for hair growth, most doctors were injecting them into the scalp. Recently, I also discussed the rarer intravenous (IV) delivery of exosomes to tackle hair loss. Now I look at the topical application of exosome serums into the scalp, due to three such new products being in recent news.

Note that some injectable products from exosome suppliers to the hair loss market can also be applied topically. The method of delivery will depend on your doctor’s or clinic’s preference.

Calecim (PTT-6) Advanced Hair System with Topical Exosomes

Calecim PTT- 6 Topical Exosomes
Calecim (PTT- 6) Advanced Hair System: Topical Exosomes and Growth Factors for Hair Growth.

Recently, HairClone (UK) announced a partnership in which the company will work with an interesting new exosome containing topical product called Calecim Advanced Hair System (that comes with a Derma Stamp).

Edit: The manufacturer has now given blog readers a 15% off discount code “HLC2020“ for purchases of the Advanced Hair System kit.

Per their website, Calecim includes PTT-6®, which contains over 3,000 proteins, including growth factors, cytokines and exosomes that signal cells to regenerate.

PTT-6 is derived from the secretion of cord lining stem cells isolated from the umbilical cord tissues of New Zealand red deer at birth. No deer is harmed during the extraction and harvest process of this rich source of stem cells.

Calecim Dermastamp
Calecim Dermastamp Included.

The full list of ingredients is PTT-6® and cord lining conditioned media (from stem cell derived fibronectins, glycoproteins, albumin, collagens and hyaluronic acid).

This Calecim topical serum is to be used with an included Derma Stamp for better absorption. A lot people underetrake at-home microneedling for similar reasons. This includes via dermarollers or dermapens or dermastamps.

Elevai Exosomes Combined with Yuva Biosciences Mitochondrial Technology

Elevai Topical Exosomes
Elevai Topical Exosomes for Hair Growth.

Elevai Labs (US) recently gave a positive update regarding the company’s topical Elevai “age zero” Exosomes™ product range for hair loss. In a year-long study that the company conducted, patients who used Elevai empower™ exosomes in combination with in-office microneedling saw favorable results. The company also makes Elevai enfinity™ for at-home use in repairing your skin.

The 12-month results were assessed using imaging analysis and showed a cessation in crown inflammation, a reversal of miniaturized hairs, and a recovery of hairs from the dormant resting phase. the still on-going research study is being conducted in partnership with Carly Klein, president of the National Hair Loss Medical Aesthetics (NHLMA).

Note that I previously also discussed Elevai in my post on Yuva Biosciences and BosleyMDs new hair loss product related to mitochondrial upregulation. Yuva is partnering with Elevai to release a hair loss product that will combine Elevai’s proprietary PREx™ exosome technology with Yuva’s Y100™ mitochondrial technology. The two companies jointly filed for a combination patent in August 2024.

Ultimately, Elevai is developing a new hair and scalp care product line, called “Elevai S-Series Root Renewal System” that will be powered by exosomes and mitochondrial technology. According to company CEO Dr. Jordan R. Plews, they are in the process of conducting a follow-on study. This will further analyze the combination of Elevai exosomes and Yuva’s Y100 mitochondrial technology to address hair loss and thinning concerns.

In January 2025, Elevai’s skin and hair care business was acquired by Carmell (US). In March 2025, Carmell announced a rebranding and name change to Longevity Health Holdings. The company plans to launch a hair growth serum in the second quarter of 2025. Most likely, it will be the exosome and mitochondrial upregulation product that I discusses above.

ExoCelBio Evovex Serum

Another company that makes a line of topical exosomes is ExoCelBio (US) via its Evovex serum. The company website says that these exosomes are derived from the chorion of placental mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs). Their Exovex™ serum Refine brand was launched in 2023 and has a concentration level of 75 billion exosomes per vial. Refine employs a high concentration of non-lyophilized, purified exosomes that results in fuller and stronger hair.

In May 2024, the US FDA sent a violation warning letter to ExoCelBio in relation to the company’s marketing and lack of a biologics license. This is not surprising, considering the new stricter FDA guidelines governing exosome products. In the US, exosomes are regulated as both a drug and a biologic. In Europe, you are not even allowed to use human-derived exosomes to treat hair loss.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Yunce Medical

Yunce Medical: Curing Hair Loss with iPSCs

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Since starting this blog in 2013, I have always wondered why China is so under-represented in hair loss research and the development of new hair loss treatments. Especially in comparison to the US, South Korea and Japan. While Chinese hair loss research did improve significantly in the last few years, hair multiplication related developments remained elusive. But finally, this has all changed due to the entry of Yunce Medical (also known as Yunce Biotech).

Yunce Medical: Treating Androgenetic Alopecia with iPSC-derived Hair Follicle Cells

Reader “Theo” sent me two interesting links in the past week related to:

  • An August 2024 speech by Yunce Medical’s founder and chairman Liu Shaoxian. It was titled:

“Progress in the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hair Follicle Cells.”

Yunce Medical is developing this technology in partnership with West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The research team has successfully differentiated hair follicle cells from iPSCs and “verified the success in animal experiments”.

But the most interesting quote from the first speech (after translation) was:

“This research result is almost synchronized with the research progress of Stemson”.

He is of course referring to Stemson Therapeutics, the biggest US-based hope for a hair loss cure that alas folded in December 2024.

The above first speech was made at the “2024 Tianfu Bio-pharmaceutical Industry Development and Cooperation Conference” hosted by the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone Bio-Industry Federation. Per the article, Chengdu has emerged as a key center of the Chinese bio-pharmaceutical industry cluster. The second newer speech was made in Beijing at the 9th Immunogenetic and Cellular Therapy Conference (IGC 2025).

As if this was not enough, “Theo” sent me another link that is even more encouraging:

“Judging from the reported data, the company’s research progress is almost synchronized with that of STEMSON, or even better, representing China’s successful first step in the field of hair regeneration.”

In the article, they also gave the below before and after image:

hiPSCs Hair Growth from Yunce Medical
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and hair growth. Yunce Medical (China).

Yunce Medical’s scientists obtained more than 90% of hair follicle stem cells with CD200 positive cells. This supposedly far exceeds the 30% results in known published literature. CD200 is a key marker for hair follicle stem cell activation, and CD200 positive hair follicle stem cells are the main cell type missing in the balding arras of scalps.

On Yunce Medical’s website, I like that they specify “human” induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) rather than just iPSCs. The company’s hair loss platform is called YCH001.

Clinical Trials

In an announcement in September 2024, Yunce Medical said they were about to start human clinical trials. They had already successfully cultivated hair follicle stem cells from induced pluripotent stem cells in animal experiments. Key quote from Liu Shiaoxian:

“We are the second company in the world and the first company in China to successfully induce iDP (iPSC-derived dermal papilla cells) and iHFSC (iPSC-derived hair follicle stem cells).”

The company also has a gene editing sector and various other regenerative medicine related technologies listed on its website.

Also of interest, in March 2025, Mr. Shaoxian gave yet another speech at the 3rd Bio-Innovative Drug Industry Conference in Suzhou. He mentioned the company’s focus on the research and development of hiPSC-derived cell drugs for the treatment of male pattern baldness, solid cancerous tumors and autoimmune diseases.

Note that there are numerous news articles from China that suggest that the rate of hair loss is increasing rapidly in both young males and females in the country. This technology will have tens of millions of takers in the world’s second most populous nation, assuming the price is reasonable.

China to lead the world in Gene Editing and Cell Therapy?

In spite of residing in the US, I am hoping that China surpasses the US in rapid biotech progress. Per a new article in the New York Post this week:

“China has embraced CRISPR gene editing, leapfrogged the West in cell therapy, developed sophisticated animal models and rapidly expanded its biotech exports from near-zero in 2016 to nearly 30% of new assets in the world today.”

One of the suggestions the author of this article gives to the US FDA is to speed up clinical trials in order to be able to compete with China and others in the biotech space.

Perhaps George Costanza was correct about looking towards China for a hair loss treatment after all?