» » » » » But this article seems to say that drugs that these types of drugs
» » are
» » » » » already in late stage development and they are not showing signs
» of
» » » » growing
» » » » » hair. These drugs are almost ready to come to market but hair
» growth
» » » is
» » » » not
» » » » » being seen in test subjects taking these types of drugs.
» » » » »
» » » » »
» » » »
» » »
» »
» http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/merck-drug-homes-new-baldness-target/2012-03-22
» » » »
» » » » These things may need to be concentrated topically to have a good
» » » effect.
» » »
» » » I don’t know what to make of this news. It could be something really
» » big
» » » that we could exploit right now. Remember since it is in late stage
» » » development that means we already know that it is likely very safe.
» For
» » » example, if similar drugs are in phase 3, nearing completion of phase
» 3,
» » » then that means it has already completed safety of phase 1 and phase 2
» » and
» » » is almost done with safety for phase 3. That would look like a lock
» for
» » » safety. If similar drugs are deep into phase two with no safety
» » problems
» » » then that would be a pretty good indication that it is probably safe
» and
» » we
» » » should be trying to figure out how we could start using it as soon as
» it
» » » hits the marketplace.
» »
» »
» » Merck is testing laropiprant as a flushing inhibitor to be administered
» » with niacin. Allschwil, Switzerland-based Actelion’s setipiprant is
» being
» » studied as a treatment for allergic inflammation of nasal pathways. Both
» » therapies are in the final phase of testing generally needed for
» regulatory
» » approval.
»
» Extended release nicotinic acid/laropiprant (Tredaptive®) is accepted for
» restricted use within NHS Scotland.
» Medicines advice
» From the article:
»
» “Merck isn’t studying the anti-flushing drug in hair loss, said Ian
» McConnell, a Merck spokesman, in a telephone interview. “We haven’t seen
» any signals” in patient trials that the therapy might reduce baldness, he
» said.”
That’s because Merck’s drug blocks the wrong PGD2 receptor! I just posted this on the feircebiotech site. There are two types of PGD2 receptors, DP1 and DP2 (DP2 is also known as ‘GPR44’ and ‘CRTH2’). Laropiprant (Merck’s drug) selectively blocks the PD1 receptor - Cotsarelis showed that the PD2 receptor (and not PD1) is involved in hair growth downregulation. BTW, niacin produces flushing via the PD1 receptor - the PD2 receptor is not involved in the flushing at all.
Prostaglandin D2 Inhibits Hair Growth and Is Elevated in Bald Scalp of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia.
Testosterone is necessary for the development of male pattern baldness, known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA); yet, the mechanisms for decreased hair growth in this disorder are unclear. We show that prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) is elevated at the mRNA and protein levels in bald scalp compared to haired scalp of men with AGA. The product of PTGDS enzyme activity, prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), is similarly elevated in bald scalp. During normal follicle cycling in mice, Ptgds and PGD2 levels increase immediately preceding the regression phase, suggesting an inhibitory effect on hair growth. We show that PGD2 inhibits hair growth in explanted human hair follicles and when applied topically to mice. Hair growth inhibition requires the PGD2 receptor G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide)–coupled receptor 44 (GPR44), but not the PGD2 receptor 1 (PTGDR). Furthermore, we find that a transgenic mouse, K14-Ptgs2, which targets prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 expression to the skin, demonstrates elevated levels of PGD2 in the skin and develops alopecia, follicular miniaturization, and sebaceous gland hyperplasia, which are all hallmarks of human AGA. These results define PGD2 as an inhibitor of hair growth in AGA and suggest the PGD2-GPR44 pathway as a potential target for treatment.
What can we do as a community to get more answers on this product? From what I read they already know it works, they have the investors, now what ?
Anyway Hairsite can dig up some info? You know I own a website with around 20 000 members.
What’s the time table on this product. this summer or 5 yrs? Don’t understand seems like most of the stuff already passed FDa
Funnily enough, this topic came up in the news on the radio this morning on my way to work. With the announcer stating that scientists had found the cause but a yet to work out how to block the receptors or implement a way to lower these PgD2levels.
One this that kind of worries me though, from wiki " The concentration of PGD2 in asthma-patients is 10 times higher than in control patients ", not every Asthma patient is going bald. ( I actually used to get asthma pretty bad though…lol)
In the text provided in this thread, by memory they only stated the balding area had 3 times the normal level of PgD2. Who knows…
» Looking at the big picture for a moment -
»
» Any thoughts about whether this holds the possibility of restoring
» long-lost hair? Or are we looking at mainly a loss prevention method?
»
» Or do we not know enough to guess either way?
It’s meant to hold hope for restoring long lost hair(Any miniaturized follicles, assuming they’re still there)and also prevention.
From my understanding, what they’re hoping to achieve by blocking the PgD2 receptors is to reverse the miniaturized follicle back into a terminal state, the excessive PgD2 levels thought now to cause hair loss should then have no effect on the hair follicle itself.
But who knows… definitely an interesting one though
» Looking at the big picture for a moment -
»
» Any thoughts about whether this holds the possibility of restoring
» long-lost hair? Or are we looking at mainly …
Everything we doubtlessly know so far is that Cotsarelis is still looking for research funds.
Secondly, what we also doubtlessly know is that Cotsarelis blocks high PGD2 levels since 2007.
Here is the proof…
‘Niacin almost doubled plasma PGD2 and 5-HT, but aspirin reduced only PGD2 by 86%. In contrast, luteolin inhibited both plasma PGD2 and 5-HT levels by 100 and 67%, respectively.’
If you google luteolin and pgd2 it apparently strongly inhibits pgd2 in serum so is this worth taking?
Also does this mean taking vitamin b supps with niacin is going to be bad for hair since it doubles pgd2.
Just my own ponderings and not sure what it means.
» » Looking at the big picture for a moment -
» »
» » Any thoughts about whether this holds the possibility of restoring
» » long-lost hair? Or are we looking at mainly …
»
» Everything we doubtlessly know so far is that Cotsarelis is still looking
» for research funds.
»
» Secondly, what we also doubtlessly know is that Cotsarelis blocks high PGD2
» levels since 2007.
» Here is the proof…
» US20110021599A1 - Methods and compositions for inhibiting or reducing hair loss, acne, rosacea, prostate cancer, and bph - Google Patents
» And here is the result…
»
Interesting find there!
So it’s already been on the cards for five years now…
Well after reading this article for a second time, i am starting to be cautious. It could also be an other attempt to sell un-proven topical cream with nice biology-theory but no FDA results.
» Well after reading this article for a second time, i am starting to be
» cautious. It could also be an other attempt to sell un-proven topical cream
» with nice biology-theory but no FDA results.
I’m generally a bit cautious. This “breakthrough” might just well lead to nothing at all.
» What can we do as a community to get more answers on this product? From
» what I read they already know it works, they have the investors, now what ?
»
» Anyway Hairsite can dig up some info? You know I own a website with around
» 20 000 members.
» What’s the time table on this product. this summer or 5 yrs? Don’t
» understand seems like most of the stuff already passed FDa
»
» anyways
Doesn’t it seem like all we need to do is wait for the oral version of the drug to come to market and then cococt a topical version of it on our own. The oral version of the drug should come to market within a 1 - 2 years. It’s already in phase 2/3.
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