Almost a decade ago, I first covered research from RIKEN (Japan) in relation to hair regeneration and tooth regeneration. Both of these projects were being led by the same person: the renowned Dr. Takashi Tsuji. I have since written about Dr. Tsuji’s hair related work in numerous blog posts.
In 2023, I briefly mentioned another Japanese Dr. Katsu Takahashi and his tooth regeneration company Toregem Biopharma. In this post, I will discuss new updates from both Dr. Takahashi and Dr. Tsuji in regards to tooth regrowth.
World’s First Tooth Regrowth Medicine in 2030
Earlier this month, it was announced that the world’s first tooth regrowth medicine will be tested in humans in Japan in September 2024. The clinical trials will begin in September at Kyoto University Hospital, and will last for a year. The research is led by Dr. Katsu Takahashi, head of the dentistry and oral surgery at Kitano Hospital. Most importantly:
“The researchers hope to commence sale of the medicine in 2030.”
The initial safety focused clinical trial will involve 30 males between the ages of 30 and 64 who are missing at least one tooth. However, do note that this particular teeth regrowth technology is meant for children who lack a full set of adult teeth due to congenital factors. i.e., a condition known as anodontia. In the next stage of the trials, the medication will only be administered to those between the ages of 2 to 7 who have at least four teeth missing from birth.
Anodontia is a congenital condition that causes the growth of fewer than a full set of teeth. It afflicts just 1% of the population Interestingly, 1% of the population also exhibits the converse of anodontia: hyperdontia. The latter is a congenital condition that causes a higher than normal number of teeth.
Dr. Takahashi and his team’s drug based teeth growth treatment entails blocking the function of the uterine sensitization associated gene-1 (USAG-1) encoded protein. This protein limits the growth of teeth in some individuals. They published a paper in 2020 that was titled: “Development of tooth regenerative medicine strategies by controlling the number of teeth using targeted molecular therapy.” More information from Kyoto University here.
They also published findings in mice in 2008 that connected USAG-1 and its bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist action, Wnt signaling modulation, and the subsequent creation of supernumerary teeth.
With this same technology, it is hoped that humans will be able to regrow teeth for a third time in their lifetime (as opposed to just twice, the current norm). Many animals such as sharks and certain reptiles continuously regrow teeth over their lifetimes. Dr. Takahashi believes that the ability to grow a third set of teeth was lost over time in humans, but we still have the “buds” for a third set. His team has already successfully managed to grow additional teeth in ferrets. Key quote:
“We are hoping to see a time when tooth-regrowth medicine is a third choice alongside dentures and implants.”
OrganTech: Next Generation Tooth Implants
In 2023, Dr. Tsuji and his team’s research and development activities were officially subsumed into a new company called OrganTech. This came after a past failed attempt via Organ Technologies (established in 2008) due to fundraising issues. OrganTech’s main focus is hair and teeth regeneration. In the Summer of 2024, OrganTech plans to begin clinical trials in relation to its next generation teeth implants.
According to the company:
“We were the first in the world to succeed in the functional regeneration of teeth with complete regeneration of biological functions (regenerating periodontal fiber, enabling orthodontic treatment, and restoring perception), by harvesting epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells from the tooth primordium of a mouse’s teeth which is in the fetal stage, creating a regenerated tooth germ using the organ germ method (Nature Methods, 2007), and transplanting them into areas where the teeth have been lost (PNAS, 2009).”
On OrganTech’s website, they mention that the company’s new next-generation tooth implants will recover the periodontium surrounding the implant. This will make it possible to recover all the physiological functions of native teeth.
Gonna rub tooth growth medicine on my scalp. At least I’ll have something to brush up there.
2030
I’m curious if the new teeth are genetically programmed to look like the original teeth or if they come in looking totally different.
I sincerely hope Mr. Kondo didn’t mislead us by saying clinical trials would commence in 2024, but for teeth and not hair.
We’ll have new teeth before new hair. Crazy times. Eventually I’ll be a 3/4 bionic dude with a jet and x ray vision but bald as heck.
Although this is good news I can’t help but feel pretty bummed reading this.
Hair regeneration remains stuck in the pipeline for years and years, never seeming to reach human trials, then this guy comes along with tooth regeneration and boom. Human trials in 4 months.
At this point I’d give up my teeth to keep my hair, since at least tooth loss soon won’t be an issue in this lifetime.
Good point. They always say how complex hair follicles are and then grow a heart from nothing or teeth or whatever. Not sure what to believe or what the hold up actually is with hair but it’s annoying.
I completely agree with you, with the passage of time I realize that there is something dark behind the hair industry, we see how the name of 100 new companies comes out daily, and for years the 3 or 4 companies that promised hair cloning For the current era, they now realize that it is very complex. Now we see how all these companies have focused on the multiplication and injection of dermal papilla cells, which is a definitive cure for people with alopecia who have not yet experienced it or still experience it in early stages… but it What surprises me is that this technique, which in theory is simple since we know how to multiply cells, we still do not know the date of any clinical trial or the date when it will be available from the 6 or 7 companies that currently promise this. , which already makes me think that the business of minoxidil and finasteride, and hair grafts is so lucrative that they are not interested in offering this treatment. Instead, the regeneration of teeth, which no one is interested in because there are implants with screws that have the same function as teeth, chewing food… and surely much more expensive.
Do you know when the baldness cure will arrive? The day they diagnose alopecia as a psychological disorder that makes people mentally ill and doctors prescribe free minoxidil and dutasteride and hair grafts in cases of depression. At that time they will market hair cloning to continue making money.
Some time ago AI found something very promising… but that too was buried…
Let’s hope that soon certain pigs will no longer be able to profit from our heads.
Then that will be a long time from now. It’s still a stigma to even discuss hairloss unless you’re a woman.