Category Archives: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSC), Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Ideeea Therapeutics AGAcell: MSCs and ATP

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I originally added this story about Ideeea Therapeutics (Spain) as an update to my past post on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hair growth. However, lots of readers missed it, and this company keeps getting widespread global media coverage. So I have now written this separate post on Ideeea Therapeutics. If you made a comment in that post, feel free to re-post it here, and I will then delete it from there.

Ideeea Therapeutics AGAcell: MSCs and ATP

Spain-based start-up Ideeea Therapeutics has raised €2.3 million in seed round funding. The company’s AGAcell ® technology entails the treatment of androgenetic alopecia via the intradermal administration of a patented formulation. This consists of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (derived from adipose tissue) combined with a “bioactive molecule”.

The bioactive molecule entails adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The current research was conducted successfully in mice that were treated with various iterations of MSCs and ATP after being induced to lose their hair via the administration of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Both liposomal and non-liposomal ATP were tested, along with various doses of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). The various doses gave different outcomes in male versus female mice, but ultimately, the results were almost always positive:

“The researchers explained that the injection of low-dose stem cells and ATP into male mice resulted in a nearly 100% hair growth effect in three weeks. In female mice, there was no effect at high or low doses, but the hair growth rate reached 90% at medium doses.”

The combination of adipose derived stem cells and adenosine triphosphate regenerates hair via the regenerative capacity provided by the former, and the cellular energy increase provided by the latter. In this study, the authors conclude that:

“ATP supplementation of cell preparations might be a good therapeutic option to enhance the beneficial impacts of MSCs.”

Ideeea Therapeutics AGAcell MSCs and ATP
Ideeea Therapeutics AGAcell: Allogeneic MSCs and ATP for hair growth. Source: Stem Cell Research & Therapy.

Dr. Eduardo López Bran, the lead scientist for this treatment, was interviewed on June 1 and also covered in this article on June 5. He is the head of the Dermatology Department at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital. He expects that human clinical trials could begin in 2027 or 2028, with an estimated duration of two years. However, the company’s pipeline page indicates that Phase 1 would begin in 2025/2026 and Phase 3 would end around 2030.

Note that in 2024, I covered a Taiwanese company that is working on an AMPK activator product to boost ATP levels of human follicle dermal papilla cells. ATP sprays are often used during hair transplant procedures. And laser hair growth device energy also increases production of ATP.

Also of note, one of the main ways in which Minoxidil works to grow hair is via the opening of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), Platelet-Rich Plasma, PRP

A Smorgasbord of PRP and Hair Growth News

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Make sure to also read my post from last year on how well PRP works for hair loss. There are quite a few studies from around the world that suggest that PRP is more than just a scam as many commentators seem to think.

PRP Injections Hair Loss
PRP Injections for Hair Loss.

PRP and Hair Growth: New Developments

The past several weeks have witnessed a huge number of news items, forum posts, videos and more related to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hair growth.

  • First, in November Dr. Joseph Greco published a new chapter on PRP and stem cells in a textbook. There are some great photos and statistics in there. Edit: Link no longer works.
  • A new Italian study on PRP and hair regrowth was published in November in Stem Cells Translational Medicine. Results were favorable, with mean hair count increasing by 33.6 hairs, and mean hair density increasing by 45. 9 hairs per square centimeter. Point of interest: “We also observed an increase of Ki67(+) keratinocytes in the epidermis and of hair follicular bulge cells, and a slight increase of small blood vessels around hair follicles in the treated skin.”
  • At the 9th Congress for Hair Research from November 18-21, Dr. Ratchathorn Panchaprateep from Thailand presented favorable findings regarding combination therapy treatment of hair loss using PRP and non-ablative 1,550 nm Erbium glass fractional laser. Total benefits in nine patients averaged around 17 percent increases in both hair density and hair mass. Treatment entailed two injection each month for six months in total.
  • On November 24th, Dr. Sam Lam published a video of his presentation on PRP/ACell/ATP at the 7th Annual Hair Transplant 360 Workshop that took place in Saint Louis, Missouri from November 19-22. ATP stands for Adenosine triphosphate, and it is usually administered in liposomal form via a spray during a hair transplant procedure.
  • Also on November 24th, Dr. Alvi Armani’s clinic representative posted a forum thread where they state that PRP in combination with hair restoration procedures is leading to superior results. They have been administering platelet-rich plasma in their patients for a few years. Edit: Link no longer works.
  • On December 8th, the UK’s sensationalist/gossip rag Daily Mail (my favorite newspaper when it comes to hair related news) published an article on PRP injected in gel form for hair growth purposes. The Daily Mail’s articles are often quite superficial, but I am still glad that they give so much emphasis to hair loss news.

Overall, it seems like PRP is here to stay in the hair loss industry, especially when used in combination with extracellular matrix products such as ACell. However, as one doctor told me recently, platelet-rich plasma will not regrow hair in totally bald areas. At best, it will make existing hair stronger, and in those who are lucky, reverse recent miniaturization. Moreover, some of the growth factors in PRP have been proven to aid with hair growth.

It is important to go to an experienced physician if getting platelet-rich plasma treatments. I would only go to a doctor who has been treating hair loss patients with PRP for at least two years. You should also carefully check the pricing and number of treatments needed per year, as both vary significantly depending on physician. Some clinics advertise rates that are very obvious ripoffs in my opinion.