Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSC), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)

Using Stem Cells from Baby Teeth for Hair Growth

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Recently, I read about an interesting Japanese clinic named Aoyama Renacel that is offering a unique stem cell based hair growth treatment. It combines stem cells derived from the baby teeth pulp of Japanese infants with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) derived from yourself. I have covered the latter numerous times on this blog, but never the former.

Dental Pulp Stem Cells Hair Growth
Dental pulp derived stem cells for hair growth. Source: Aoyama Renacel website.

Stem Cells Derived from Teeth for Hair Growth

In 2025, the Japanese government accepted Aoyama Renacel’s Type II regenerative medicine provision plan to use its technology for the treatment of thinning hair and androgenetic alopecia in both men and women. The submission was titled “Treatment of alopecia using autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.”

The hair loss treatment entails simultaneously injecting into the scalp two separate types of cells:

  1. Culture supernatant of stem cells derived from deciduous tooth pulp.
  2. Adipose-derived stem cells.

The tooth pulp derived stem cells contain 10-20 times more major growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). I have discussed the link between VEGF and hair growth several in the past, including in my post on growth factors in PRP. Also of note, hair growth drug Minoxidil upregulates the expression of VEGF in human hair DP cells. Per a quote on Renacel’s website:

“Measurements by a reliable external testing agency have proven that this supernatant contains several dozen times more major growth factors, including VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which is essential for hair regeneration, than general culture supernatants.”

Further details about the stem cell culture supernatant also mention cytokines and exosomes. They also have a table that compares various stem cell culture supernatants based on what part of the human they are derived from:

  • Deciduous tooth pulp.
  • Umbilical cord.
  • Fat.
  • Bone marrow.

The below video explains this new tooth pulp stem cell technology for androgenetic alopecia in detail.

Japan and Teeth

It looks like in addition to curing hair loss, Japan also has the best chance at curing tooth loss.

  • OrganTech (Japan) aims to regenerate both teeth and hair.
  • A Japanese pharmaceutical startup named Toregem Biopharma is working on a drug to stimulate the growth of new teeth.
Absci, Prolactin

Absci ABS-201: Targeting the Prolactin Receptor

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Update: July 2025

The CEO of Absci posted the below Tweet recently. The before and after macaque monkey image in there seems eerily similar to the image from Hope Medicine’s HMI-115 and its effect on macaques. Both HMI-115 and Absci’s ABS-201 target the prolactin receptor to regrow hair. Hope Medicine has already completed Phase 2 clinical trials, while Absci is yet to commence any human trials.

ABSCI Hair Growth Prolactin
ABSCI ABS-201 Hair Growth Prolactin.

April 6, 2025

Absci (US) is a data-first artificial intelligence (AI) drug and biologic creation company that is unlocking novel treatments through the use generative AI. Most interestingly, one of the key products that they are focusing on is a hair growth treatment called ABS-201 that targets the prolactin receptor (PRLR).

I first heard about the company in January 2025 when Absci received a $20 million investment from chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Unlike virtually all new entrants in the hair loss world, Absci has a great website. However, it should be noted that the company originally started operations way back in 2011, under the auspices of founder and CEO Sean McClain.

In March 2025, Absci presented on the subject of AI in dermatology at the Dermatology Innovation Forum. On a related note, in 2022, I wrote a post on AI and machine learning for hair loss drug discovery.

Absci Presentation on ABS-201

Considering that Absci’s pipeline page shows that ABS-201 is yet to even enter Phase 1 clinical trials, I was reluctant to write this post. However a new video presentation (embedded below) that the company uploaded in February 2025 changed my mind. It is titled “Absci R&D Day 2024”. The portion devoted to ABS-201 and hair loss starts at 1:19:40 and lasts for over an hour.

Also check out the company’s case study page on ANS-201. Interestingly, in the notes to the key mechanism of action diagram, they mention that ABS-201 also has the potential to restore hair pigmentation.

Absci currently has over 77,000 square feet of space between:

  • A state-of-the-art wet lab in Vancouver WA (US).
  • An advanced AI research lab in New York City (US).
  • A drug innovation center in Zug (Switzerland).

The company plans to begin Phase 1 clinical trials for ABS-201 in the first half of 2026. Their preclinical model demonstrated improved hair regrowth in comparison to minoxidil.

Absci ABS-201 versus Hope Medicine HMI-115

ABSCI ABS-201 Prolactin
ABSCI ABS-201 artificial intelligence developed prolactin receptor antibody for hair loss. Comparison to Hope Medicine’s HMI-115.

Note that Absci’s AI-developed ABS-201 is similar to Hope Medicine’s HMI-115 that is currently in Phase 2 trials. The latter prolactin receptor antibody treatment for male and female pattern hair loss was originally developed by Bayer (Germany) who received a patent for it in January 2019. A few months later, Hope Medicine announced a global licensing agreement with Bayer to advance the development of this monoclonal antibody to target the prolactin receptor.

In the above screenshot from Absci’s earlier mentioned recent presentation video, they elaborate on some of the key differences between ABS-201 and HMI-115.