Monthly Archives: May 2019

Pelage Pharmaceuticals, Allergan, Heather Christofk, Rob Lowe, William Lowry

Lowry and Lowe

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In 2017, I covered some important groundbreaking hair loss research from UCLA, led by scientists William Lowry and Heather Christofk.

These researchers discovered two topical compounds (RCGD423) and (UK5099) to regrow hair. Both drugs, via different mechanisms, increase the production of lactate. This in turn activates hair follicle stem cells and leads to increased and quicker hair growth. Dr. Lowry’s patent is here. Note that RCGD423, activates the JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

Dr. Lowry, Pelage Pharmaceuticals and UCLA

Update: January 2023 — Pelage Pharmaceuticals’ new site is live.

Earlier today, reader “PinotQ” posted an important update on progress regarding these compounds’ further development. The compounds and technology have been exclusively licensed by UCLA to Pelage Pharmaceuticals, a startup company founded by Dr. Christofk, Dr. Lowry and Dr. Michael Jung.

Moreover, 100 percent of the shares in Pelage will be purchased by Allergan (Ireland) per an agreement. I have covered pharmaceutical giant Allergan many times on this blog in the past, and they are heavily invested in various new hair growth product technologies.

Rob Lowe has Taken Finasteride for 30 Years. Via his veins.

Rob Lowe Hair Finasteride
Rob Lowe Thick Hair Due to Finasteride?

Actor Rob Lowe has been in the news this week after insulting Prince Williams’ hair loss. Mr. Lowe is 55 years old, and claims that at the first sign of hair loss 30 years ago, he stared taking a hair loss drug. Per the quote below, he took it intravenously via his veins! I assume he means finasteride injections.

Rob Lowe quote:

“The first glimmer that a single hair of mine was going to fall out, I was having that stuff mainlined into my (expletive) veins. And that’s what I did for the next 30 years.”

Prince William Hair Loss
Prince William Balding.

Almost everyone thinks that this drug that Rob Lowe took (and is maybe still taking) is Finasteride, usually given in the form of a pill. Donald Trump takes the same drug for his hair loss.

Dutasteride (Avodart) was not available 30 years ago (the younger Ashton Kutcher got lucky). I am not sure if it is a good idea to get Finasteride delivered through your veins, although Mr. Lowe has to this day maintained a very good head of hair and seems healthy.

Shiseido, Jiro Kishimoto

Shiseido Sounds Optimistic

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Update: Shiseido has updated its website. The Kobe cell processing and expansion center is now clearly visible on the map. Thanks for the link to commentator “Edgar”.

Shiseido’s Biggest Dot on the Map

Shiseido Cell Processing Facility
Shiseido’s Updated World Map. Kobe Cell Processing and Expansion Facility.

Dr. Jiro Kishimoto’s Presentation

I last covered Japan’s cosmetics behemoth Shiseido in early March. This was in my post discussing Replicel’s two important recent announcements. For those who are new to this blog, Shiseido is working on a hair loss cure via its own research as well as via the use and rights to Replicel’s technology in Asia.

A few weeks later, we had the 11th World Congress for Hair Research in Spain. At this Congress, Shiseido (Japan)’s Dr. Jiro Kishimoto had a much anticipated presentation titled: “Autologous cell-based therapy for hair loss using dermal sheath cup cells.”

Shiseido 2019 Update

Several days ago, I got access to the summary of this presentation. Below is the most interesting and important section (with slight grammar changes from my part):

“After a Phase I clinical study with dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells in the EU showed no serious adverse events, we conducted clinical research studies in Japan on autologous cell based therapy for 66 male and female patients with androgenic alopecia using DSC cells. The study is currently ongoing at two medical institutions and no serious adverse effects have been reported thus far.

I would also like to discuss a unique registration law for cell therapy in Japan. This law enables hospitals and clinics to outsource cell and tissue processing to specialized cell processing facilities (CPC) located outside hospitals. We have introduced a cell manufacturing process for DSC cells in the CPC established in Kobe by ourselves, and I will discuss future prospects for cell-therapy in patients with AGA.”