Hair Loss News

Newswise — A key challenge facing doctors as they treat patients suffering from cancer or other diseases resulting from genetic mutations is that the drugs at their disposal often don’t discriminate between healthy cells and dangerous ones — think of the brute-force approach of chemotherapy, for instance. To address this challenge, Florida State University researchers are investigating techniques for using certain molecules that, when exposed to light, will kill only the harmful cells.

Igor V. Alabugin is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at FSU. He specializes in a branch of chemistry known as photochemistry, in which the interactions between atoms, small molecules and light are analyzed.

“When one of the two strands of our cellular DNA is broken, intricate cell machinery is mobilized to repair the damage,” he said. “Only because this process is efficient can humans function in an environment full of ultraviolet irradiation, heavy metals and other factors that constantly damage our cells.”

• Read more: Future cancer treatment will eliminate hair loss

The month of August has been designated as hair loss awareness month by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Every year the AAD runs a public awareness campaign to educate people and to refute the hair loss myths that may delay millions from seeking diagnosis and treatment.

The public education campaign raises awareness about the signs of hereditary hair loss, a condition that affects 80 million American men and women.

True or false?

1) A man will lose his hair only if his grandfather on his mother’s side was bald.
2) Women rarely lose their hair.
3) The likelihood of hair loss varies by racial heritage or ethnicity.

All of these statements are false says the American Academy of Dermatology.

• Read more: August is Hair Loss Awareness Month

ROME — Italian golfer Alessandro Pissilli has been suspended after failing a drug test according to the Italian Olympic Committee.

Pissilli tested positive for the drug Finasteride, the active ingredient in the hair loss drug Propecia and the prostate drug Proscar.

Pissilli, who plays on the Italian pro tour, was suspended by the Italian Golf Federation. He could face a two-year ban if found guilty of a doping violation.

His local golf club in Florence released a statement saying he had informed authorities at the time of the test that he had taken the drug for almost two years to treat a prostate problem.

Finasteride has been at the center of several recent doping cases recently because it can also be used to mask steroid use.

Australian soccer player Stan Lazaridis is also facing disciplinary action after having been tested positive for Finasteride.  In his case it appears he took it for hair loss and not for his prostate.

And they are not alone either, American skeleton slider Zach Lund, and French runner Nordine Gezzar, have also tested positive for Finasteride use in the recent past.

CAMBRIDGE, MA –  Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS), a drug development company focused on seeking to develop novel targeted medicines primarily for cancer treatment, has just reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2007.

For the second quarter of 2007, Curis reported a net loss of $3,998,000 or ($0.08) per share, as compared to a net loss of $3,924,000 or ($0.08) per share for the same period in the prior year.

The most important news for hair loss sufferers is the following statement contained in their report:

“We currently do not expect to further develop our current Hedgehog agonist compounds for hair growth regulation.”

In May 2007, Procter & Gamble notified Curis of their decision to terminate their September 2005 collaboration agreement for topically applied Hedgehog agonist compounds for hair growth regulation, effective November 9, 2007.

Also in May 2007, Ortho Biotech Products notified Curis of their decision to cease its development efforts on the BMP-7 program and terminate their November 2002 license agreement.

Curis is still pursuing the use of their Hedgehog antagonist for use in cancer treatments however.

“While we are disappointed that two of our collaborations concluded during the second quarter of 2007, we continue to make progress on our core small molecule cancer assets. We are pleased with the progress of our Hedgehog antagonist collaboration, the lead molecule of which is currently in Phase I clinical testing. We have also made significant progress on our targeted cancer programs that we are developing under our Targeted Cancer Drug Development Platform,” said Daniel Passeri, Curis’ President and Chief Executive Officer.

Now you can give yourself a hi-tech hair loss examination with a digital microscope.  

The Dino-lite Digital Microscope connects to the USB port of your computer and can capture magnified images of your hair and scalp, or anything else.

Unlike traditional microscopes, this hi-tech digital microscope also allows you to photograph and capture the images as stills, real-time video, or even time-lapsed video.   These can be saved and then emailed to your physician, or posted to a website.

The microscopes range from 0-50X magnification to 0-200X magnification depending on the model.   There is also a model that connects to a TV instead of a computer.

Prices vary depending on where you get it, but they range from about $100 for the 50X version to around $250 for the 200X version.

They are available from several websites including these ones:

(USA) http://www.minresco.com/dinolite/dinolite.htm

(Japan) http://www.thanko.jp/dinolite/

A local Canadian court has ruled in favor of a man who sued a Canadian hair restoration clinic for failing to deliver on their promises.

The man, Rezgar Palani, spent more than $4,000 on hair loss treatments with little to show for it.   So he took it up with the clinic who had promised him success or his money back.

The clinic refused and showed him two photos as proof that the treatment was working, but Palani said there was no way to prove it was his head in the pictures.  Palani had attended the clinic weekly from Feb. 4, 2006 to July 15, 2006, using a portable laser as required. He had also applied 25 to 30 drops of the $150-per-bottle formula daily.

Judge Nancy Phillips agreed with Mr. Palani and found the photos — black and white photocopies with hand-written notations — were “poor quality and problematic.”

Doug Slamko — the marketing director and spokesperson for International Laser Clinics — claimed that the technology used by the company “is effective for the vast majority of people.”

He stated that Mr. Palani was beginning to get a response, but stopped treatment after six months instead of the year that’s required.

The judge disagreed, “I heard no evidence that would allow me to conclude anything other than that Palani had done what he could to make himself eligible for the refund,” she said.

She ruled that Palani met the requirements for a refund, less the cost of the products used.  That means Palani, a Kurdish immigrant who spent more than $4,000 on hair loss treatments, will get his money back, less the $701.70 he used in drops and shampoo.

Palani did eventually end up solving his hair loss problem; he decided to spend $14,000 for hair transplant surgery.

CORAL GABLES, Fla., – Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its new drug application for Extina(R) (ketoconazole) Foam, 2% for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. The approval, which the company received June 12, clears the way for the product to be sold and marketed in the United States.

Different from other treatments for seborrheic dermatitis, which contain ketoconazole 2% in a cream, gel or shampoo vehicle, Extina is administered using VersaFoam(R) HF(R) (hydroethanolic formulation) technology, a unique, versatile topical drug delivery vehicle that is quickly absorbed into the skin. Extina Foam proved to be superior to placebo foam in a Phase III clinical trial. Of subjects receiving Extina (R) Foam, 56% achieved treatment success based on an Investigator Global Assessment compared to 42% of subjects receiving vehicle foam. Stiefel Laboratories, the world’s largest independent pharmaceutical company specializing in dermatology, acquired the proprietary VersaFoam HF technology with its December 2006 acquisition of Connetics Corporation.

“We are very pleased with the robust data obtained in the pivotal Phase III clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Extina,” said Jim Hartman, Senior Vice President, U.S. Commercial Operations for Stiefel Laboratories. “It is exciting that this product, combining the proven efficacy of ketoconazole 2% in the patient-preferred foam delivery system will soon be available for patients with seborrheic dermatitis. It will provide dermatologists and other allied health professionals with an additional treatment option for this condition and allow patients to choose their preferred drug delivery method.

“Extina is representative of the robust and innovative product pipeline at Stiefel Laboratories,” Hartman added.

Stiefel Laboratories plans to launch the product, which will be available only by prescription, in August this year.  Extina(R) (ketoconazole) Foam, 2% is indicated for the topical treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in immunocompetent patients 12 years of age and older. Extina should be applied to the affected skin areas twice a day (morning and evening) for four weeks. Extina is administered via VersaFoam HF, which studies show offers consistent skin permeation, drug distribution and drug delivery. Additional patient benefits include versatility (Extina can be used on hair bearing and non hair-bearing skin), it absorbs quickly and it is non-drying with no residue.

Ketokonazole is the active ingredient in Nizoral shampoo and is used by many hair loss sufferers because studies have shown that it’s beneficial in treating hair loss.

For more information about Extina, please visit http://www.extina.com/.