Hair Loss News

BUENA, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IGI, INC. (AMEX:IG) announced that it has received, a STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) grant from the National Cancer Institute to evaluate the safety and therapeutic potential of parathyroid hormone PTH (7-34) analog to treat alopecia (baldness) induced by chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Alopecia is singled out by nearly 80% of patients as the most distressing side effect of cancer chemotherapy.

In the initial phase of animal testing, IGI successfully formulated PTH 7-34 into its proprietary Novasome® encapsulation technology, which, when applied to mice stimulated and maintained hair growth.

Under this grant, IGI will formulate a stable PTH 7-34 Novasome® cream and provide clinical samples to Boston University to study them in human subjects scheduled to receive chemotherapy. Michael Holick M.D. PhD is the Principal Investigator for this study.

Rajiv Mathur, President and CEO of IGI commented: “the use of peptide hormones, such as PTHrP, to treat skin disorders has been limited by the inability to deliver them topically. We believe that IGI’s proprietary delivery technology provides a useful solution to this issue”.

According to IGI their proprietary Novasome® lipid vesicle encapsulation technology offers the following benefits for drug delivery:

1. Targeted results by having a controlled delivery of active ingredients to particular skin layers.
2. Enhances the desired effects of active ingredients.
3. Adds active ingredients at efficacious levels without the threat of irritation.
4. Combines active ingredients together that would otherwise be impossible without the use of a delivery system.
5. Provides a time-release of active ingredients.

You can read some more information about Dr. Holick and his patent here: http://www.hairlosshelp.com/html/emupatent2.cfm

There is also a discussion and more information about Dr. Holick on our forum: http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=69134