HairClone Receives Grant To Begin Work

2020 has started with some good news for people seeking hair regrowth treatments.

HairClone announced today that they have been awarded a grant from the Innovate UK organization. This grant is government funded in the United Kingdom and is awarded to innovative technologies with the potential to make an impact on the UK economy. I’m told that this grant will enable HairClone to carry out the work that they had hoped to finance with their crowdfunding campaign which took place in early 2019. The news of this grant will be welcomed by many people of our community who were disappointed that the crowdfunding did not initially meet its goal.

Here’s the tweet that was sent by HairClone today:



We are extremely pleased and proud to announce that, in partnership with Newcastle University, we have received a significant grant from InnovateUK to help us develop our personalised regenerative cell therapy for androgenic alopecia and make it ready for clinical use pic.twitter.com/bULY44bGhg — HairClone (@HairClone) January 6, 2020

HairClone’s Work In 2020

I’ve received some additional information from HairClone CEO Paul Kemp about the grant and how it affects the development of HairClone.

The grant was actually applied for in June 2019 and received provisional acceptance followed by a period of due diligence in September. On January 6, 2020 HairClone is able to finally make the announcement of the grant. Kemp added “These grants are extremely competitive and we are very pleased and proud to have been successful.”

HairClone’s work will now be in partnership with Newcastle University of the UK who has a GMP manufacturing facility and a license from the UK MHRA to produce cell therapies for use as “Specials.” For more info on Specials see this previous interview on Follicle Thought.

HairClone has begun this partnership on January 2nd which includes the following activities:

1) Carry out transcriptomic studies to identify selection of analytical techniques for male and female DP cells (HairClone can possibly use these to select for specific sub-populations and/or use as quality control assay). 2) Develop commercially relevant DP cell isolation and culture system that could form basis of automated manufacturing system. 3) Develop required documentation, tech transfer and validation of DP cell expansion process that could be used for the “Cell expansion service.” 4) Develop mechanism of action data to support its rejuvenation and rebuilding hypothesis that has been previously discussed on Follicle Thought.

An important point of emphasis is HairClone acts as a “cell expansion service” company and does not provide treatments themselves. In the future, their expanded DP cells could be utillized by clinicians for use in the UK. Neither HairClone nor the physicians can promote this as a treatment nor claim any efficacy due to regulatory guidelines. As of now, it may take up to a year for HairClone’s expanded cell service to become available in the UK.

It’s great to hear that funding has finally fallen into place for HairClone. We are all very much looking forward to news of the first patients who receive treatment with HairClone’s expanded DP cells.

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