RCH-01 Cell Therapies treats pattern baldness
RepliCell and RCH-01 for pattern baldness
RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company focused on developing autologous cell therapies that address diseases caused by a deficit of healthy cells required for normal healing and function. The company’s RCT-01, RCS-01, and RCH-01 cell therapies are designed to treat chronic tendinosis, damaged or aging skin, and pattern baldness.
Shiseido Company, Limited
Shiseido Company, Limited has an exclusive license for RCH-01 in certain Asian countries including Japan, China and South Korea.
All product candidates are based on RepliCel’s innovative technology utilizing cell populations isolated from a patient’s own healthy hair follicles. The company is also developing a propriety injection device optimized for the administration of its products and licensable for use with other dermatology applications. The company’s product pipeline is comprised of multiple clinical trials all anticipated to launch in late 2014 in addition to Shiseido's own clinical trial of RCH-01 and the device in late prototype development.
RepliCel’s product pipeline leverages the unique cellular properties of the hair follicle to develop a portfolio of products that treat functional cellular deficits as a result of injury, normal aging or genetic predisposition leading to a variety of health conditions.
DSC Cell Therapy Treatment for Androgenetic Alopecia
RCH-01 Development Status
RCH-01 is an autologous cell therapy utilizing dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells isolated from the hair follicle to treat androgenetic alopecia. RepliCel’s proposed Phase 2 trial will enroll 160 male subjects in good health with mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia. Dermal sheath cup 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 subjects 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.
Phase 1 Clinical Evidence
The primary objective of the study was to assess the local (at treatment sites) safety profile of injections of autologous DSC cells at six months post-injection compared to placebo. A six-month interim analysis was designed to provide the company with safety information to support the regulatory filing for a Phase 2 clinical trial.
RepliCel Life Sciences is developing an autologous cell-based procedure for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) and general hair loss in men and women. The procedure has the potential to become the first minimally invasive solution for hair loss.
What Causes Hair Loss?
Understanding the complexities of hair loss is very important and there can be several contributing factors. No one is 100% sure what the contributing factors may be. For more information on what causes hair loss, continue reading.
