More good news from Replicel

This company is on the right track…
http://www.replicel.com/newly-released-peer-reviewed-publication-validates-replicels-use-dermal-sheath-cup-cells-treat-pattern-baldness/

I have some questions about this. Replicel always said their cells were “dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells”, but never said they were “dermal sheath STEM cells”. The researchers at the University of Calgary are claiming they’ve discovered a ‘new’ (heretofore unknown) population of stem cells in the dermal sheath.

It seems that only now is Replicel implying its DSC cells are a type of stem cell.

The thing is, in the Replicel press release you posted, they say that the cells discovered at Univ. of Calgary are the SAME ones as the DSC cells they’re using, and that these cells are part of Replicel’s intellectual property portfolio.

Are the University of Calgary researchers connected to Replicel? Are they working together, or are they competitors?

It looks like Replicel is just saying, “Congratlulations! Excellent research, guys! You’ve just discovered those DSC cells that we’ve discovered first and have filed a patent application for! This further justifies our research!”

I wonder, does the University of Calgary endorse Replicel’s claim to rights over these cells?
Or would they say they are two different types of cells?

Overall very good news, I am glad they are involving a large number (160) of participatns for phase 2, it sounds like they are really onto something.

“Participants will remain in the trial for approximately 39 months.”

Let’s do the math, they haven’t even started phase 2 trial yet, according to the article the trial will last 39 months or over 3 years from the start date of phase2, with, it is safe to assume that if all goes well we are looking at approximately 5 years.

Deja Vu

“RepliCel’s proposed Phase 2 trial will enroll 160 male subjects in good health with mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia. DSC cells will be isolated from a small punch biopsy taken from the back of the subject’s scalp. These cells will be replicated and then reintroduced into balding areas on the subject’s scalp. After injections are performed, subjects will return to the clinic for assessment of total, terminal and vellus hair density and cumulative hair thickness, as well safety. Participants will remain in the trial for approximately 39 months.”

39 months is a bit too long for phase 2 !!! Did they say where phase 2 is going to be conducted? the article is very vague, I don’t even think FDA requires 39months.

Most likely, it will require 39 months, because they realize they don’t currently have a working protocol. If so, then they are “hoping” to be able to develop a working protocol during the trial. Thus, Deja Vu. We’ve been here before.

That said, I’m rooting for these guys despite my skepticism. The technology has had a few years worth of discovery to mature since the last time around the track.

Don’t forget we still have Histogen in the race, I like the recent presentation they did and it sounds like their trials are likely to be shorter in duration.

It seems to me Replicel should try mixing a Histogen knockoff with its DSC cells and continue to repeat the injections on a monthly basis. But that’ll never happen. :slight_smile:

As far as the supposed new research showing there are two stem cell pools in the follicle, this has already been known for years.

It would be interesting to:

  1. Pluck all scalp hairs discarding those from the non-donor region.
  2. Using donor-region hairs only, isolate the stem cells proximate to the upper pool that remain on the plucked hairs.
  3. Culture to very low passage keeping an eye on genetic markers to ensure embryonic state is not altered.
  4. Mix with Histogen-like coctail etc. (reset embryonic environment in the scalp)
  5. Optionally administer immune drugs and ant-DHT
  6. Inject while targeting the dermal/epidermal junction and follicle bases
  7. Shave head for appearance purposes (repeat until hair re-establishes)
  8. Let hair grow out. Repeat process until satisfied.

This process gets around the problem with obtaining enough cells before they degrade in culture. It preps the in vivo cell-signaling environment (Histogen etc). The mass hair-plucking works two-fold to provide enough cells and also sets the scalp environment to a remodeling state.