Follica Developing Breakthrough Discovery To Treat Hair Loss, Wounds And Other Degenerative Skin Disorders

Main Category: Dermatology
Also Included In: Stem Cell Research
Article Date: 17 May 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Technology licensed by Follica Inc. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has been used to generate completely new hair follicles for the first time in normal adult mammals. The paper describing the experiment was published in the May 17th issue of the scientific journal Nature.

By studying wound healing on a molecular level, Dr. George Cotsarelis and colleagues discovered that the skin has the ability to revert to a more primitive or "embryonic" state as stem cells migrate to the affected area, thereby achieving a regenerative capacity not previously appreciated to occur in adults.

The researchers were able to control the regenerative response, including the extent of new hair follicle formation, by manipulating genetic pathways during this "embryonic window" when new follicles formed. The new hair follicles functioned normally, cycled through the normal stages of hair growth and exhibited normal architecture, including a full complement of stem cells. Cotsarelis and colleagues showed that the induction of this primitive state triggered corresponding embryonic molecular pathways distinct from those active in corresponding cells in adult skin, opening up new treatment options not previously thought to have therapeutic benefit in normal adult skin.

"The 'embryonic window' gives us the opportunity to develop disease treatments that act in entirely novel ways," said Daphne Zohar, PureTech Ventures founding managing partner and Follica CEO. "The clinical translation of this technique involves straightforward, safe dermatological procedures, and we are studying the impact of multiple drugs and drug-like compounds on this regenerative response as we advance in preclinical testing."

"This is an extremely exciting discovery and shows promise for treatment of follicular disorders such as hair loss and unwanted excess hair," noted Dr. Vera Price, co-founder of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, director of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Hair Research Center and a founding scientific advisory board member of Follica Inc.

"The hair follicle is an elegant structure that plays many different roles for human skin, aside from growing hair," said Dr. Rox Anderson, Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and founding chairman of Follica's scientific advisory board. "George Cotsarelis' insights into the biology of hair follicles provide new strategies for preventing and treating a variety of skin and hair disorders."

Follica exclusively licensed the technology from The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where it is the basis of an ongoing development program. The paper's lead author, Dr. Cotsarelis, is also a co- founder and scientific advisory board member of Follica´.

About Follica

Follica Inc., a privately held medical device company, was co-founded by PureTech Ventures and a group of world renowned experts in hair follicle biology and medicine. In addition to hair loss, Follica has intellectual property and development programs in various skin and follicle related indications. Additional Follica contributors include Dr. Kurt Stenn (Aderans Research, formerly of J & J, Yale) member of Follica's scientific advisory board; Dr. Ron Cape (PureTech partner, founder Cetus, former board member Neutrogena) Follica board member; and Dr. Steve Prouty (former J&J skin biology) Follica director of research. http://www.follicabio.com.

About PureTech Ventures

PureTech Ventures is a Boston-based venture firm specializing in translating breakthrough research from top tier academic institutions into therapies that will impact human health and quality of life. PureTech's partners include entrepreneurs and leaders from the top echelon of pharma, biotech, medtech and academia. http://www.puretechventures.com.

Follica Inc.
http://www.follicabio.com

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