Spencer Kobren Interviews Dr. Jerry Cooley | ACell MatriStem Plucked Hair

[Westonci]

With all this talk about Acell, I am surprised that no one on this forum, including Spencer, has brought up the news this week about stem cell research.

I am referring to the report that stem cells have been used, for the very first time, to create a living hair follicle. This report comes from Ronald Lauster at Berlin Technical University. The news has been reported in the popular media during the past few days. Spencer, what do you think about this news? The guy predicts people will be able to use this in 5 years.

He talked it briefly about it last Sunday during his radio show.

[CVAZBAR]

I am an investor in Histogen. The plan is still to release the HSC in Asia (excluding Japan) in 2013, and in the US and Europe by 2015. They are conducting their next trial phase in Singapore in February. I am assuming that if this product does everything it is supposed to do, most of you will figure out a way to get to Asia.

HOw much you think this would cost and what would the procedure be? Injections? How many times?

[Westonci]

I am an investor in Histogen. The plan is still to release the HSC in Asia (excluding Japan) in 2013, and in the US and Europe by 2015. They are conducting their next trial phase in Singapore in February. I am assuming that if this product does everything it is supposed to do, most of you will figure out a way to get to Asia.

If Phase II is successful why cant histogen skip phase III and offer the injections at full price in black markets such as Mexico, India, or in International Waters if necessary?

I dont care how much it costs, time is not on my side.

[rapunzal]

i note that there are some unanswered questions that I think Dr Hitzig and Dr Cooley alluded to particularly about hair cycling and androgen sensitivity. I am a little baffled as to why they dont already know the anwsers to these.

Dr Hitzig did have some success with plucking in the past. This process is no different except Acell is used to increase effectiveness. So there are already plucked hair (pre 2005) patients walking amongst us. Of course they might not know if plucked head hair never worked.

do the hairs cycle and good quality?
any dr hitzig pre2005 plucked hair (not beard) patient care to answer this question ? although the additon of acell has the potential to improve quality.

are plucked hairs androgen sensitive ?
not sure about this, is there a test to check androgen sensitivity of the new follicle. otherwise any pre2005 Dr Hitzig plucking patients that had plucked scalp hair success out there still have this non miniturised hair growing, even if only a few took hold ?

[CVAZBAR]

i note that there are some unanswered questions that I think Dr Hitzig and Dr Cooley alluded to particularly about hair cycling and androgen sensitivity. I am a little baffled as to why they dont already know the anwsers to these.

Dr Hitzig did have some success with plucking in the past. This process is no different except Acell is used to increase effectiveness. So there are already plucked hair (pre 2005) patients walking amongst us. Of course they might not know if plucked head hair never worked.

do the hairs cycle and good quality?
any dr hitzig pre2005 plucked hair (not beard) patient care to answer this question ? although the additon of acell has the potential to improve quality.

are plucked hairs androgen sensitive ?
not sure about this, is there a test to check androgen sensitivity of the new follicle. otherwise any pre2005 Dr Hitzig plucking patients that had plucked scalp hair success out there still have this non miniturised hair growing, even if only a few took hold ?

I think i remember hearing that the process on plucking hairs now with Acell is different because it needed to be plucked with the epithelial tissue included, which is different from the past. As for the sensitive androgen, it would also take time since this this type of plucking is different. You can read more and look for yourself in other threads because im not sure exactly what's the difference.

[rapunzal]

possibly, perhaps Dr H could clarify but I presume that its the same concept as Dr H used sometime back however they might have improved the technique. I mean, the hair shaft would be useless without the cells attached, i would think the same would have applied back in the early days.

on another note i notice that a few people believe this would be an adjunct to existing hair transplant methods. this has be baffled, i mean why would this not become the "gold standard" and only method IF it is successful.

what does traditional STRIP and FUE offer that this potentially couldn't ?
only one thing comes to mind and that is an entire FU in its natural state and even then, Dr C in one of his presentations showed that he placed multiple hairs in a single slot to mimic a natural FU so apart from this ... nothing

[HairRobinHood]

possibly, perhaps Dr H could clarify but I presume that its the same concept as Dr H used sometime back however they might have improved the technique. I mean, the hair shaft would be useless without the cells attached, i would think the same would have applied back in the early days.

on another note i notice that a few people believe this would be an adjunct to existing hair transplant methods. this has be baffled, i mean why would this not become the "gold standard" and only method IF it is successful.

what does traditional STRIP and FUE offer that this potentially couldn't ?
only one thing comes to mind and that is an entire FU in its natural state and even then, Dr C in one of his presentations showed that he placed multiple hairs in a single slot to mimic a natural FU so apart from this ... nothing

I think the question is (in general), does it make sense (besides the necessary effort) to do so in the daily clinical praxis? How about plucking of the natural hair groupings all at once?

http://www.hasci.com/uploads/downloads/dad01225-0ceb-4a30-90c4-771ed900f25aHSI%20-%20Artikel_Gho%20Neumann.pdf

[rapunzal]

hhmm very interesting approach, FUE with transection, theoretically sounds good but would need improved extraction tools and highly skilled Doctor to maintain accuracy and increase the number of hair extraction per minute. I wonder how many grafts Dr Woods extracted per minute when he started FUE.

[Westonci]

The latest updte is that they are still planing to release something in Asia(not japan) in 2013, and for introduction in America by 2015. Again this is all on the notion that phase 1 and 2 go well and that they are able to get quick funding for the phase 3 trials. We will have to wait till summer to see the early results. If anyone wants to email them, they can go to the Histogen website and find the emails. If the these first 2 trials go well we should more then likely see fast funding. Lets just hope this happens.

Your post was on November 14, 2010. Since then on December 1st Histogen announced that they completed Series A Financing.

In your post you said that if Histogen gets quick funding then we may see 2013 as being a strong possibility.

Is it possible that Histogen may speed up clinical trials with the heating up of competition coming from Latisse's new trials, Follicas recent annoucnemnt by Dr. Cotsarelis, Berlin Institute making artificial hair, Acell, etc.

[Winifred]

Wow this is amazing, if more research goes into using Matristem with plucked hairs, than 2010 may be the year that baldness was finally cured!!!

[Hanna Grey]

Great interview. Thanks for keeping us updated. Website

[Anderson89]

Wow this is amazing, if more research goes into using Matristem with plucked hairs, than 2010 may be the year that baldness was finally cured!!!

[Ludged]

Good post!!!