This post is an update to the potentially ground breaking development from four days ago that I posted on this blog regarding arthritis drug tofacitinib curing a patient’s alopecia universalis and psoriasis.
Spencer Kobren of The Bald Truth Talk show managed to interview Dr. Brett King, and Dr. King’s optimism is palpable throughout the session. A must watch video, especially the last five minutes of it.
Spencer talks about the inflammatory aspect of male pattern baldness, and Dr. King strongly feels that a topical formulation of this drug would likely be tested on patients with Androgenic Alopecia. That segment made me quite annoyed that Dr. Cotsarelis was so dismissive of this new development per the CNN article I linked to at the bottom of my first post on this subject. Per Dr. Cotsarelis, androgenic alopecia does not have an immune system rejection related component to it. I am not so sure about that, especially since so many of us hair loss sufferers get itching and psoriasis type symptoms along with the hair loss.
My favorite quote from Dr. Brett King in the video is:
It’s hopeful…it’s beyond hopeful.
I am not as optimistic as Dr. King as yet, and a topical formulation has yet to be developed and will be difficult to develop due to the large size of the molecule involved and consequent difficulty in penetrating the scalp skin. However, I find this whole development absolutely amazing and it seems like Dr. King is optimistic that a topical formulation will be developed once enough funding is available.
As Dr. King warns, nobody should be experimenting with this drug, nor buying it on the black market. This drug’s potential side effects make finasteride seem like candy in comparison. I would wait for the topical formulation to come out, as well as more reports to come out on the side effects experienced by the many more patients who will now surely start taking it (in trials and under doctor supervision) for alopecia areata and severe psoriasis.
If MPB had auto inmune reaction the hair transplant does not work at all. MPB is something related with something in some folicles and others no.
Fred, I am no expert at this, but maybe the immune system does not reject the donor hair even when it is moved to the front of the scalp in a HT, just like DHT does not kill that moved hair? In any case, the chance of this treatment working for MPB is minimal, but worth pursuing irrespective of what Cotsarelis thinks.
I am in the medical profession and have read much of the literature on both androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata. I respect Dr. Cotsarelis and agree with him that the treatments are different, and that the more common androgenic alopecia is not an autoimmune disease. One medication, abatacept (Orencia), is currently going through Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of alopecia areata. These medications do have potential side effects, including increased risk of infection, headache, and respiratory adverse reactions.
I am as frustrated as most people that a new and better treatment for hair loss has not come out yet in many years. Many drug companies have not shown the interest that such a huge potential blockbuster could produce. I find Dr. Cotsarelis and his collegues, including Dr. Luis Garza, to be some of the best hope for getting a new medical treatment to market. So please, hurry up…..!
Hi Everyone!!!
Today I am speaking with the top professionals of hair loss industry with one my of frustrated problem that is androgentic alopecia.
I am neither a doctor or a hair loss professional, I am a bloody 23 year old who is facing this problem from last 5 years.
Due to this problem l am frustrated from my life.
I know science had so much developed, but no one has treatment of this disease.
I think that this disease can’t be prevented.
Sorry for this horrible situation,but this is true.
If you have something better suggest me ,you can help million people to gain the lost confidence.
I will really appreciate,if you could do something better for us.
Hola he leído sobre células madres, clonación y todavía no salió nada de nada. Alguien sabe si para el 2015 puede haber alguna novedad???? me conformo con que salga una nueva medicación por ejemplo el bimatoprost. Espero respuestas. Gracias.
Nada