So how close are we to a new 'cure'

[ccmethinning]

If we're lucky: 5 years
Realistically: 10 years
Unlucky: 20 years

[Banana Republic]

If they find a cure, I predict a booming global economy with 0% unemployment worldwide, the end of world hunger and malnutrition, an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a radical decline in depression and suicide.

[john2399]

Follica cures baldness in 2015. We will see that all over the news soon boys.

[TravisB]

Follica cures baldness in 2015. We will see that all over the news soon boys.

And who are you? Some Follica insider?

[john2399]

And who are you? Some Follica insider?

Nah i wish. I just see the future.

[thechamp]

Nah i wish. I just see the future.

Nice you see the future you got next weeks lotto draw numbers thanks

[Arashi]

Follica cures baldness in 2015. We will see that all over the news soon boys.

That would mean they're in Phase II/III already. Please show us the clinical trials they're running at the moment: http://clinicaltrials.gov/

[Arashi]

Realistically, 3 groups of people have independently succeeded at bio engineering a human hair follicle:

* Lauster
* Team Tokyo (Tsuji labs)
* Jahoda

Where Jahoda even succeeded at growing it on human skin (on SCID mice).

Bio-engineering one follicle is one thing, doing it on a mass scale is another. They'd need a huge source of cells and thus would probably need Induced Pluripotent Stemcells. Japan just OK-ed the first ever IPS cell trial 2 weeks ago: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/434129/...clinical-trial
Japan is also looking at fasttracking stem cell research in general. Conditions that are every favourable for Tsuji labs. Hence I would say Tsjui labs is going to win this race and since they already succeeded at bio-engineering a human hair follicle, I would be surprised if it would take them more than 10 years.

[Desmond84]

Spot on Arashi

And let's NOT forget Tsuji team was using Dermal Papillae cells as well as Epidermal cells! Mass producing DP cells and maintaining their trichogenicity was one of their future goals back in 2012...So, if Jahoda's 3D spheroidal technique works, 50% of their work is already done!

Tsuji may actually purchase Jahoda's 3D spheroids patent if all goes well

[Scientalk56]

in what phase follica is?

in what phase Follica is?

[Desmond84]

I think they may be conducting another Phase I/IIa with their new protocol...but it hasn't started yet

[Scientalk56]

someone said here phase 3 and 2015 release... dissappointing sounds like rumors lol..

[Desmond84]

No way! Phase 3 would be some serious breakthrough! They just finished off their animal studies (Pre-clinical) with FGF-9 and are planning to test it out in humans hopefully by the end of 2014! This will be the first in-man trial based on the FGF-9 theory and will be a Phase 1/2a trial.

[Arashi]

No way! Phase 3 would be some serious breakthrough! They just finished off their animal studies (Pre-clinical) with FGF-9 and are planning to test it out in humans hopefully by the end of 2014! This will be the first in-man trial based on the FGF-9 theory and will be a Phase 1/2a trial.

Exactly. I'm pretty sure they're still in pre-clinical stage, otherwise their trial would show up on clinicaltrials.gov. Thus Follica is at least 7-8 years from having a product on the market.

[Arashi]

Spot on Arashi

And let's NOT forget Tsuji team was using Dermal Papillae cells as well as Epidermal cells! Mass producing DP cells and maintaining their trichogenicity was one of their future goals back in 2012...So, if Jahoda's 3D spheroidal technique works, 50% of their work is already done!

Tsuji may actually purchase Jahoda's 3D spheroids patent if all goes well

Yup exactly ! Jahoda's 3d sphere's were a huge breakthrough. Also note this huge news from just a few days ago, where a group of US researchers succeeded at creating an inner ear (including sensory hairs !!) where again the 3d culture enviroment was the missing key to success: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0710141852.htm ->
"Previous attempts to "grow" inner-ear hair cells in standard cell culture systems have worked poorly in part because necessary cues to develop hair bundles -- a hallmark of sensory hair cells and a structure critically important for detecting auditory or vestibular signals -- are lacking in the flat cell-culture dish. But, Dr. Hashino said, the team determined that the cells needed to be suspended as aggregates in a specialized culture medium, which provided an environment more like that found in the body during early development." "We were surprised to see that once stem cells are guided to become inner-ear precursors and placed in 3-D culture, these cells behave as if they knew not only how to become different cell types in the inner ear, but also how to self-organize into a pattern remarkably similar to the native inner ear," Dr. Hashino said"

Dr Nigams is of course also currently experimenting with 3d culture and he's going to inject Tom with 3d culutured cells too.

These are very interesting times, people ...