ACell, Inc. in the news.

Alan Spievak interviewed on Oprah segment with Dr. Oz.

ACell on CBS Evening News “Growing Miracles” segment.

ACell animal case studies.

Dr. Jones ACell experiment. – Resulted in scab and scar formation.

Official ACell patent victory over Cook Biotech and Purdue University.

ACell, Inc. is a regenerative medicine company based out of Jessup, Maryland. The company specializes in Extra-Cellular Matrix (ECM) products, manufacturing various types of bio-scaffolds based on this technology. ACell achieved worldwide renown after reports surfaced of a gentleman, Alan Spievak, re-growing a fingertip using their Matristem™ wound-healing device. In animal studies, ACell has been able to regenerate both hair and skin when healing full-thickness wounds. These impressive results immediately caught the attention of the hair-transplant community.

The regenerative capabilities of ACell in regards to human hair growth remain inconclusive. Many patients speculate that ACell could be used in conjunction with a conventional hair transplant, creating an unlimited amount of DHT resistant donor hair. Once a strip of hair-bearing tissue is excised from the back of the scalp, ACell could be sutured into place and ultimately regenerate the wound without any visible scarring.

(It is important to note that Matristem™ products have not been verified or approved for this indication.)

Currently only one hair transplant doctor has officially documented his experiments with ACell. Unfortunately, his protocol resulted in the reformation of scar tissue. This result is highly unusual when ACell treatments are implemented properly, however, leading many to caution that his procedure may have been faulty. Unfortunately, the failure of ACell to regenerate skin and hair in this instance seems to have eliminated interest in the technology.

ACell has had to contend with several patent-infringement lawsuits filed by Cook Biotech and the University of Purdue. As of 2006, ACell was officially exonerated of all charges. They have since begun marketing their products on a large scale, even working together with the Department of Defense to assist wounded American soldiers returning from war.

For more information (and pictures!) regarding ACell’s human and animal case-studies, visit our Media page entitled “ACell Media”.

So, what do you think? Can ACell regenerate both skin and hair when it is used in humans? Is this something we should investigate further? Let us know by leaving a comment or sending an e-mail to rejuvenation@trx2.com.

Prior to 2008, Cambridge-based Intercytex was the front-runner in hair multiplication technology.

The procedure explored by Intercytex (ICX-TRC) is summarized on their website:

“A small sample of hair follicles is taken from the patient during a simple 30 minute operation carried out under local anaesthetic at a hair or skin clinic. The clinic sends the biopsy to an Intercytex GMP compliant manufacturing facility where the DP cells are dissociated from the rest of the follicle. These cells are cultured and expanded in proprietary media over three weeks and subsequently returned to the clinic in a sterile suspension. Using a specialised delivery system, the DP cells are microinjected intradermally into the patient’s scalp. The treatment is performed under local anaesthetic and comprises a single procedure of superficial injections, each injection delivering a minute volume of media containing DP cells.  These cells are able to stimulate the generation of new hairs when injected in close proximity to the epidermal cells which generate the hair. Following the procedure, new hair growth should become evident after approximately three months.”

Although this process produced successful results during phase-II trials, the company has yet to establish a strategic partner to commence phase-III. This might be because even though the theory was proven to work, hair direction, consistency and diameter needed to be refined before the treatment could be marketable.

A bleak funding climate and complications with other pipeline products Cyzact and Vavelta resulted in more problems for Intercytex, whose stock prices fell 59% in early 2009.

In spite of these difficulties, Intercytex continues to move forward. In April of 2009, Pfizer collaborated with Intercytex and the University College of London to conduct research regarding macular degeneration. This partnership could yield great things for the company in the future.

While ICX-TRC might temporarily be on hold, Intercytex is researching an even more promising technology: the in-vitro creation of terminal hairs for transplantation. Very little information has been released publicly about this approach, however, and it is unclear whether or not Intercytex’s financial woes will interfere with their ability to expound upon this process.

TrichoScience is a relatively new entrant into the field of Hair Multiplication. Although the company has been performing pre-clinical studies since 2000, information about TrichoScience was only released publicly in Q3 2009 when they announced the start of clinical trials.

TrichoScience’s procedure involves multiplying “dermal sheath cup” cells harvested from donor hair follicles. This is the primary distinction between TrichoScience and its competitors.

The patent-pending procedure, as it has been outlined on the official Trichoscience website, aims to provide several distinct advantages over existing treatments:

• Unlimited donor supply.
• No surgery.
• Easy training and administration.
• Permanent results.
• Available for both men and women.

Although Trichoscience might still be at an early stage in their research, the company has already assembled a world-class team of renowned dermatological experts on its medical advisory board. Among these recognized professionals are Dr. Jerry Shapiro (chairman), Dr. Rolf Hoffman (vice chair) and Dr. Kevin McElwee. New additions to this team expected and will be announced as positions are finalized.

TrichoScience ultimately aims to license its technology to medical practitioners upon the full completion of human clinical trials. No timelines have yet been released by the company.

Aderans Resesarch Institute, Inc. (ARI) is a subsidiary of the world’s largest wig manufacturer, Aderans Co., Ltd. ARI is presently the world leader in Hair Multiplication research.

Unlike other Hair Multiplication companies that concentrate on the proliferation of only one cell type within the hair follicle, Aderans Research has employed a two-cell, three-dimensional scaffold approach. A patent for this technology was awarded to Aderans in 2007.

The process for using these scaffolds to grow new hair follicles can be summarized as follows:

• Healthy hair follicles are extracted from the back of the scalp.
• These follicles are dissected to obtain dermal papilla cells, the crucial stem cells responsible for hair growth, formation and cycling.
• Another type of skin cell (that remains undisclosed) is also harvested from the initial extraction site.
• Once these cells are collected, they are multiplied in culture. The multiplied cells are removed from this culture with a proprietary enzyme before being “seeded” into a tissue scaffold.
• These cell-seeded scaffolds are stirred in a flask until they are fully populated with cells.
• The scaffolds are then re-implanted into the scalp where they will ultimately elicit new hair growth.

Aderans is currently conducting Phase 2 trials in six major U.S. cities. These tests are designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the aforementioned hair growth procedure. The company has released very few details, but aim to provide updates as their studies conclude in 2010.

Although many market release dates have been proposed by Aderans representatives in the past, the company has yet to produce any reliable timelines.