Amplifica leverages discovery of “groundbreaking” hair growth molecule that stimulates follicle stem cells
22 Jun 2023 --- Biopharmaceutical company Amplifica Holdings Group hints that scientists at the University of California Irvine, US, have found a molecule for treating hair loss. The osteopontin molecules inside moles are responsible for stimulating follicle stem cells, leading to hair growth, according to the study. Amplifica has prepared molecules for developing new hair growth solutions based on this finding.
The research was led by Maksim Plikus, Ph.D., co-founder and chief scientific officer at Amplifica and professor of Developmental and Cell Biology at the University of California, Irvine.
“This publication is the result of nearly ten years of research completed by the international team of scientists, and we are delighted to have Nature recognize the strength of our results,” states Plikus.
“Of the signals released by senescent melanocytes, osteopontin appears to have the greatest effect on hair growth. The team plans to study other candidate molecules to fully understand this system, and I am eager to see what other potential pathways to hair regrowth are revealed.”
Amplifica entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with The Regents of the University of California (the governing board) in 2019, covering the inventions described in Nature.
Moles in humans often show significant hair growth.
Innovations based on signaling molecules
The researchers explain that “niche signals maintain stem cells,” and altering this balance can lead to disorders. Since melanocytic skin nevi (moles) in humans often show significant hair growth, the researchers thought it to have hair stem cell hyperactivity.
“The extensive research completed by Dr. Plikus and his international team of colleagues to potentially identify a pathway toward new hair growth is groundbreaking,” states Frank Fazio, president and CEO at Amplifica.
“The publication of these original findings in the leading interdisciplinary journal Nature further validates Amplifica’s pipeline compounds and its plans to develop novel solutions to treat hair loss.”
The osteopontin molecule is referenced as AMP-203 at Amplifica. The company has identified signaling molecules that stimulate hair follicles to regrow and will be initiating clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of its technology while obtaining regulatory approvals.
According to the company, hair loss affects over 50 million men and over 30 million women in the US.
Applying the discovery
The researchers say that injecting osteopontin “or its genetic overexpression is sufficient to induce robust hair growth in mice.” The scientists developed specialized mouse models with the same genetic alterations seen in human-pigmented moles.
“Although broad accumulation of senescent cells, such as upon aging or genotoxic stress, is detrimental for the regenerative capacity of the tissue, we show that signaling by senescent cell clusters can potently enhance the activity of adjacent intact stem cells and stimulate tissue renewal,” write the authors. 
The osteopontin molecule is referenced as AMP-203 at Amplifica.
“This finding identifies senescent cells and their secretome as an attractive therapeutic target in regenerative disorders.”
Linking mouse models to human skin, the scientists found that samples of human hair moles had increased osteopontin compared to normal skin.
“To further test the hair growth effects of osteopontin, collaborators at Amplifica administered a dose of osteopontin to human hair follicles in skin grafts. In doing so, the researchers induced new growth by human hair follicles in a robust preclinical model,” shares the company.
Research in hair growth
In related research, Northwestern University’s latest study finds that the stiffness of hair follicle stem cells increases with age, making it harder to grow hair, much like how joints get stiff as they age.
Chinese researchers used AI to predict compounds that could neutralize reactive oxygen species that cause balding on the scalp.
Furthermore, solutions to prevent hair loss are increasing with new introductions of personalized treatment plans, such as “human-to-human compatible” cell-based topical solutions and supplement launches targeting hair loss.
By Venya Patel
