Kyocera, along with RIKEN and Organ Technologies, has launched a joint research to develop a regenerative medical treatment for hair loss, targeting practical use in 2020

08 August 2016

The partnership aims to develop technologies and products for treating hair loss by regenerating hair follicles. Because no existing treatment can increase the number of hair follicles, any viable method of regenerating hair follicles has great potential to succeed.

The joint research works on a technology to collect stem cells from the patient’s own hair follicles, followed by the processing of these follicles and autografting on the same patient. For the treatment of androgenic alopecia (the most common type), a small number of hair follicles will be collected, from which stem cells will be isolated, cultured and amplified to produce hair follicle germ. The regenerated hair follicle germ will be packaged and delivered to a medical facility for use in transplantation therapy for the patient. The method furthermore allows control of the hair color by adding pigment stem cells, and the number of hair follicles regenerated.

Kyocera is responsible for technical aspects such as the development of cell processing devices. While various methods are under evaluation, Kyocera’s piezoelectric technology is of particular interest as a means of discharging small amounts of viscid cells in a precise manner during the cell processing process.

Kyocera is expanding its expertise in creating medical components for orthopedic joint replacement and dental implants to support this future application of regenerative medicine.

Kyocera, RIKEN and Organ Technologies are aiming for clinical research in Fiscal Year 2019 (Year ending March 31, 2019), with the goal to put the technologies into practical use in 2020.
 
For details, please see the attached press release. 
 
 
 For more information about Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu

Editorial Material