A dream to become True (Replicel)

[alix]

this is really fascinating.

[aaron1234]

Replicel's videos are nice - but they are just basically science cartoons. It'd be nice to see some clinical trial photos but I guess they are in the middle of them. At least Aderans gave us pictorial evidence that they are on to something. Replicel just seems to be theorizing at this point. I could be wrong - I hope I am!

[hairthere]

"A commercial product is not possible before at least 2013. Regulations established for the development and marketing of cell-based medicinal products are in place to ensure that all products that are made available to the public are first and foremost, safe and also efficacious; that is, they are able to have the intended clinical effect. In order for products such as RepliCel™ to adhere to these regulations, clinical trials must be conducted to determine the effects products will have when administered to humans. RepliCel’s present clinical trial is designed to provide the company with safety data as well as some indication of efficacy. If successful, this trial will be followed by larger clinical trials to establish an ideal cell dosing. A commercial product may be available after those trials are finished."

[HARIRI]

Spencer Kobren Speaks With RepliCel Life Sciences' CEO and President David Hall

 

RepliCel Life Sciences was founded to advance the breakthrough findings of Dr. Kevin McElwee and Dr. Rolf Hoffmann, established research scientists in the fields of immunology, hair biology, hair growth, and dermatology. In the early 2000s, at Phillips University in Marburg, Germany, Drs. McElwee and Hoffmann discovered that dermal sheath cup cells have the ability to initiate cellular growth of mature hair follicles in animals. RepliCel is now developing this discovery as a potential successful treatment for hair loss in humans.

Edited September 8, 2011 by Future_HT_Doc
Outside Link

[aaron1234]

Thanks for the link Hariri! Very good interview. However, the guy couldn't even say whether they grew hair or not yet. I will remain skeptical but hopeful!

[HairToday72]

Agree with Aaron that skeptical optimism is needed, hard not to get excited as odds are one of the upcoming regenerative treatments will work.

 

Having said that it is a shame these guys have never grown a single hair on a human head yet. He called it a cellular hair transplant (hair replication/cloning/multiplication), which is more alike the Farjo/intercytex work than histogen which is a medical formula.

 

Some interesting questions, if they can regenerate pre-existing hair how will they stop it miniaturizing again - they don't know. If they can grow new hair what direction will it grow. I guess we'll eventually find out!

Edited September 9, 2011 by HairToday72

[orlhair1]

Exciting to follow, but skeptical optimism is a great term for something like this!

[bonkerstonker]

Well i'm probably the most skeptical known regular poster on this forum so allow me to do my thing lol

 

Firstly lets say this works exactly like it says in the video....It can regrow dormant hairs, well thats pretty cool but if you've had a full head ht like me and most others on here then dormant hairs are well and truly transected and stabbed up now because the whole point of a ht is to fill the gaps where the dormant hairs are.

 

Secondly like it says in the video the injected dermal sheath cup cells can form hairs them selves meaning where you have the injection a hair can form its self but what kind of crazy arse direction will this come out like they have no chance of forming a cell under your scalp and knowing which way it will grow so you'd end up with really awkward hair which wouldn't cover your scalp like a lateral slit graft would and what happens if it grows down further into your scalp i'd imagine a small infection!

 

Thirdly haven't we kind of been down this road 5 years ago with stem cell injections!

 

Fourthly going by exactly what the video says in theroy you could have a hairline designed by a doctor with these injections as long as the doctor could force the hair direction because the new hair will grow where the injection site is and could not wake up dormant hairs on your forehead as there is none there so thats a positive i suppose. Or worst case scenario it could make the blonde tiny vellus hairs on your forehead turn into terminal hairs so you'd be forced to have a ht at the front for the first inch or so probably costing you 3000 grafts as you'd want it to be really thick like the rest of your head.

[1664]

we are as hairy as gorillas but the hair is so fine you cant see it - does this mean we all become chimps? a devolution in looks anyway.

[orlhair1]

Bonker, I am with you on this man.....

[67mph]

Whenever i delve into hairloss research and see the latest possible hairloss cure, i always wonder who the people having the latest treatment done on them, are.

 

Which people have signed up to these trials, who are they, where they live, what do they do for a living, what do they have for breakfast, i feel they are almost verging on being nonentities and faceless (aswell as hairless) beings from the land of hairloss, but they play the 2nd biggest role in creating 'results'.

 

Hey, just my thoughts going out to this hairloss soliders that's all!

 

57mph

[orlhair1]

Good point 57mph......if I had a life threatining disease, I would be up for a clinical trial to try and beat it, but certainly not to grow hair.

[DISpHAIR]

Hello everyone,

 

I decided to create an account because I wanted to bring awareness to what I believe is an important issue regarding human emotion and how it influences our thoughts and behavior even when we are unaware that this is what is happening. The reason I decided to post in this thread is because a few negative comments made regarding cell regeneration technology are motivated by emotion and therefore cannot be taken seriously as they are not rational thoughts. My intentions are not to critisize anyone, but to bring awareness to those who are considering treatment for hairloss.

 

As somone who works in the healthcare industry I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty, the future of all forms of medicine is in stem cells and cell regeneration. With that being said, there is no reason to believe this would not include treatment for hairloss. I have no opinion as to whether the technology for hair growth currently exhists, I am just saying that eventually it will. After the clinical trials have commenced, we will know if the technolgy has been discovered.

 

I belive that for those who have had hair transplant surgery this information is bitter sweet. In one regard, it could be frustrating that after investing thousands of dollars and alot of down time, this could have all been avoided. In another regard, it could be encourgaing to think that there is finally a realistic solution to hairloss right around the corner. What im trying to say is that regardless of what emotions you are feeling, the fact is that hairloss is a VERY emotional topic and it is important to try to remain rational when making decsions that carry life time consequences. I am not a dermatologist, therefore it would be irresposible for me to comment on whether those who have had HTS will have equal results to those who have not had HTS.

 

My opinion for what its worth is that when considering treatment for hairloss, make rational, thoughtful decisions. Do not make an emotional decision. If you decide on HTS or medication, be realistic about your expectations. This technology is great news as it is the future of medicine so ultimately it will benefit all of us. Good luck to everyone on here as I am very aware of the effect hairloss has on quailty of life.

Edited September 11, 2011 by DISpHAIR

[aaron1234]

This technology is great news as it is the future of medicine so ultimately it will benefit all of us.

 

This technology hasn't been proven yet. Once it has then I will do about 30 victory laps outside in the buff.

[Spanker]

I have to agree that this is the future of hairloss treatment, or a similar technology. We went from the 1st flight at Kitty Hawk to putting a man on the moon in 66 years. Have hope!

 

Did anyone here have a Commadore 64 CPU 20 years ago? Remember C:// blah blah blah? Did you think that we would have computers on our phones that we carried in our pockets? Science and technology should be able to lick this problem soon.

[Blake Bloxham]

 

As somone who works in the healthcare industry I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty, the future of all forms of medicine is in stem cells and cell regeneration. With that being said, there is no reason to believe this would not include treatment for hairloss ... the fact is that hairloss is a VERY emotional topic and it is important to try to remain rational when making decsions that carry life time consequences ... Do not make an emotional decision. If you decide on HTS or medication, be realistic about your expectations. This technology is great news as it is the future of medicine so ultimately it will benefit all of us. Good luck to everyone on here as I am very aware of the effect hairloss has on quailty of life.

 

Dispair,

 

While I agree that stem cells will be significant in future medical treatments, this logic simply doesn't hold weight. From what I gather, you're essentially suggesting that patients should hold off on current treatments and place a lot of "gut feeling" faith in stem cell treatments that are very theoretical at this point.

 

While it may be true that stem cells are the future, we need to keep in mind that the future is a subjective, undefined term and should in no way prevent utilization of current treatment methods.

 

For example, one day, medicine may surpass the use of stem cells and cure all potential diseases before they even begin with genomics and manipulation of genetic code. Does this mean that we should all skip the "future stem cell phase" and wait for the miracle genomic cures? Of course not! In my opinion (and I have a healthcare background as well), we should always remain cautiously optimistic toward future treatments, but remember that disease (for lack of a better term) is a progressive process and is always treated most effectively when it is either prevented or controlled at an early stage.

 

Furthermore, I feel like the "emotional" aspect goes both ways: placing too much faith in stem cell treatments, at this point, could be viewed as just as much as a subjective, emotionally charged decision as placing too little.

 

Again, keep in mind that I'm wildly supportive of these new treatments ... but I do NOT believe they should prevent anyone from utilizing proven methods in the present.

[orlhair1]

I agree. If you want to do something about your hair loss, you should go with the best available techniques today which produce excellent results. The cell replication research is interesting and may have potential, but provides no benefit to those looking to do something about their hair now and may never pan out at all. To hold off on a HT thinking that this may be the answer in the next few years would be a waste of time IMHO.

[DISpHAIR]

Future,

 

I didnt suggest anything other then to make a rational decision when deciding on treatment that carries life time consequences. I agree that it is almost always best to treat patients with the best current treatment available. However hairloss does not pose any health risks, giving patients the oppotunity to consider all options. This is much different then say a cancer patient having to decide whether to recieve radiation or wait 6 months for a breakthrough technology. The difference in waiting could mean the patients life in the cancer scenario. I completely disagree with the statement that this technology is mostly theoretical. The technology has been implemented and is being tested in clinical trials, with the results expected to be published within the next six months. Everyone should individualy decide whether they need immediate treatment or if they can wait 6 months to know the results. Like I said before, I am completely aware of the effect hairloss has on quality of life and completely understand if someone is unwilling to wait. Personally, I think it makes sense to see the publication of these trials because it is not that long of a wait considering the possible upside. This is just my opinion and should hold no weight in anyones decision.

[Sean]

This is my opinion. This is a very promising treatment. I am looking at the company through a financial perspective as well as one based on their research. Their stock prices have skyrocketed and I only imagine it to go higher. This is because the hair industry is not a billion dollar industry, but one in trillions. You got rogaine, you got supplements, you got propecia, you got devices like laser combs, you got shampoos and other hair creams, transplants, and etc, you got so many things in the market for hairloss making big bucks for big companies and businesses (both big and small).

 

From a business perspective, i'd say this is a "New Entry" and a threat to all of the above if it succeeds. Depending on how successful it is. Only time can tell. They are actually using humans in their trials. They have made videos about the technology and routes they plan on utilizing for hair regrowth/regeneration/replication. I understand some people fearing transplant might want to wait for this, but it is true, do with what you have now because who knows when this will be approved and if it is approved. I am sure the doctors working with the FDA that have approval authority might have bias and shut this thing down because this may eliminate so many jobs and products making big bucks for an economy. Yes, lobbyists and government has power and can influence the FDA. So, you never know.

 

As of right now, I'd say it is a good investment to look into this research and follow up on it. I wouldn't keep an eye off this and I think doctors should not keep an eye off this. This can make or break a business if it happens. Like I said, only time can tell if it is approved and if FDA allows it. The best way to keep up with the business is to keep up with the new technologies and to get information on how doctors can work with this company if it hits big. I must say though, as a guy that loves stocks and investments, the company's current OTC stock price of around $2 is ideal as an investment and that is my opinion, not to be taken seriously unless you do your own due diligence, research. IMO, it can turn around and be well over $10 one day if this succeeds.

 

So, I wouldn't drop hope in this nor would I have too high of a hope in this. I'd say 50/50, you don't know which way it's gonna go. It's something definitely to watch out for though. But do what you can right now and don't waste years waiting for this. I know I wouldn't or couldn't because I am 29 now, I want to live the next 20-30 years stress free of hair worries, and then do what I gotta do later to maintain it if necessary.

[DISpHAIR]

Sean,

 

Let me start by saying that I have read some posts you have made and I really admire and respect your honesty and contribution of information that you have provided to this community. You have really given me a great understanding of what to expect with HTS and I wish you the very best in life.

 

It is an interesting thought to think that governments would intervene and stop this technology from happening in the interest of making money. I think that this an unfortuante reality here in the US as Im sure it is in other nations. A current example of this is online poker. It is a billion dollar industry that would generate billions of dollars of annual tax revenue. However, casino lobbyists pay politicians to create laws making online poker illegal. It makes me sick to think that this happpens in what is proclaimed as a "free" country. While I agree that governments will do all thats possible to act in the interest of money, I dont think even they would have the power of stopping this. Many hairloss patients would be willing to fly anywhere in the world if they could get a few injections and have the same hair they did when they were 15. If the FDA blocks this, patients will go to whatever country doesnt block it. The FDA would be forced into accepting this or the US and Canada would be left behind. As im sure you are aware this is how business works, especially in a what is now a very globalized market.

 

If we were to create a timeline of someone just begininng to consider their options for hairloss treatments it would be something like this. 2-3 months of research on different treatments and quailty Hair trasplant surgeons. 6 months for consulatations and scheduling of the surgery. That is 8-9 months. The publications are expected within 6 months. All im saying is that it may be worth waiting to hear what the results are before actually having the treatment done as the timelines are so close. I understand that even if the results exceed our expectations it will be an additional 18-24 months before this is brought to market and that would be an ambitious timeline. But when you consider that you dont get the full results of a hair transplant for 12 months or longer, the time lines are not that far off. These are all just things to consider. I think hair transplants are great, I believe they greatly improve quality of life for some people and I am definately for them. I am in no way trying to discourage anyone from getting one. I just think that we are in a very unique situation, with these results so close.

 

One more thing. Patients should consider if a transplant would even give them peace of mind. From everything that I have read, almost every person goes back for atleast one more if not multiple times. In many cases, this makes this form of treatment a life time comitment, while seemingly giving little peace of mind as you are always thinking about the next one you need or if you will continue to lose more hair. I really hope I dont offend anyone on here as I find all this information invaluable and this community of people really has helped me personally. Good Luck everyone.

Edited September 14, 2011 by DISpHAIR

[Blake Bloxham]

Disphair,

 

I like the amount of research both you and Sean are putting into this new advancement. Frankly, I have no doubts that cell based therapies (be it hair duplication + growth treated grafts, injectable growth factor solutions, adipose stem cells, hair cloning, et cetera) will become a very real and effective therapy someday. Additionally, I welcome this!

 

In the last 15-20 years, we've all witnessed a sprawling evolution throughout the hair restoration industry (from plug procedures to refined follicular unit extraction, and from snake oil hair salves to minoxidil and finasteride) and I have no doubt it will continue evolving and better serving patients.

 

Having said that, I definitely wanted to, again, stress issues with the timeline. Despite how exciting and revolutionary this therapy may be, 6-24 months does not seem like a realistic timeline. I don't even think the company projects anything this early (wasn't 2015 the hypothetical number being thrown around?).

 

As you stated before, for whatever reason (and I won't disagree with your comments regarding some of the politics behind it) these treatments are simply not going to move from isolated, small clinical trials to full scale approval and treatment levels in a 6 month time window. Phase III clinical research trials are definitely a very good sign (something like 90% of new treatment therapies fail and are scrapped before this phase), but the variables standing between the theoretical results of a small research study conducted by a drug company and the ability to ethically and safely undergo these treatments is extensive.

 

These new treatments will be fantastic, but, again, putting off treatment in the present with the hopes of an injectable solution in 6 months is not practical. I'm not sure how long you've researched hair loss, but the amount of recession that can occur in the 6-24 month time frame you're referring to is significant, and taking a "wait and see" attitude based upon the hope of these treatments just doesn't seem practical to me.

 

Even if patients don't want to undergo surgical hair restoration at the present (in light of these new therapies), they should at least consider proven preventive therapies like minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia) for the time being. Medicine is always better fought from a proactive and not a reactive stance, and hair loss (despite some of the points you made regarding "disease states") is still a progressive, medical condition.

 

Again, I wish the best for all these new companies and I do think that within a reasonable amount of time we will start seeing some conclusive research and clinical applications of these therapies. Thank you to everyone keeping the community updates on these issues!

Edited September 14, 2011 by Future_HT_Doc

[Sean]

DISpHAIR, first off, thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it. I completely understand where you are coming from and what you are saying. I do agree with you. Your Casino example is a great example. But that's the reality of the situation, politics + government + lobbyists, play a big role when it comes to such decisions. When it comes to making money, online poker is harder to control as you can gamble at offshore online casinos, eliminating various factors such as avoiding taxation on winnings. That's one of the reasons they made it illegal, it does not benefit the country, yet is a threat to the government due to loss of income for the government and businesses within the United States. There's so many things banned or illegal due to the loss of income a government, big business, and etc can make inside the United States. In the end it is about making money at the cost of tax payers to keep the economy going by creating jobs, consumer spending, and etc. I'd say causes of government bureaucracy within the U.S.. Other nations, well they are able and willing to go for new technologies and online casinos, because the United States has control over big business. Our pharmacies make the medications and are distributed throughout the globe, our technologies are spread throughout, etc., we are making money at the cost of others in other countries. This is what makes other nations go for new ideas and innovations. Simply put, effects of Globalization. I can keep going, there are so many examples. Lets hope there is no interference in this technology and it passes. I know drug companies and other parties that will be negatively affected by this technology can and will use anything in their power to sway politicians and others to go against it. So, it can go either way. I am 50/50 on it. It is a unique situation indeed.

 

By the way, your timeline is about right. It took me one year to decide on a hair transplant and who to go with. Prior to that I was just waiting for better technologies and smaller punch sizes for FUE. So, waiting did help me, along with research. It turned out I was a great candidate for FUE and things went well in my favor during surgery. The extractions were made without any issue.

 

Blake, thanks for the comments. I do agree with you as well. We don't know how long the clinical trials will last. Phase III can last forever, we don't know. There is uncertainty. I obviously could not wait any longer and got a transplant. Now, if this becomes a reality in the future, I may not get another transplant and go for this treatment. But we don't know that yet. I agree with you that forum members must consider all options available on the table today and not to just rely on this as the answer, as we do not know what direction this will be headed.

 

This has been a good discussion. I still say I am 50/50 on this. It can go either way, but we must make the best with what we have today, since the future is unknown.

Edited September 14, 2011 by Sean

[Shadow of the EMpire State]

If I had a dime for every dope on hairsite who swore to me that there'd be a cure by 2007, I'd have a ferrari in my garage by now.

 

The wheels of medical science grind so slowly, they're barely noticeable. So the idea that there's going to be some "eureka" breakthrough in the next five years seems very far-fetched. It doesn't happen that way.

Edited September 17, 2011 by Shadow of the EMpire State

[Montreal]

HT is still to expensive for what you get...+ you get scars sometimes i wonder why i think about ht when I can just spend the monney on a car or a house,ht results are not 100% satisfaction garantie.

[67mph]

if's but's and maybe's!

 

the more i read about replicel the more i think '...like really'!

 

I so hope (like we all do) that the main characters in these '...so far our findings are dot dot dot and we think this might happen and that could happen' have some heavy duty and well calculated conclusions that outweigh any run of the mill optimism.

 

Whether this falls flat on it's arse or not and Replicel becomes another class of 11/12 from school Flash in the pans, i'm in no doubt it really help's towards finding (and getting a better understanding) of what we can do to get our hair back!

 

57mph