POTENTIAL NEW CURE FOR BALDNESS DISCOVERED

NEWDELHI: Scientists have discovered a potential new cure for baldness, using a drug originally designed to treat osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and brittle.

Researchers from University of Manchester, Britain, showed that the drug had a dramatic effect on hair follicles in the lab, stimulating them to grow. The researchers concluded the drug contains a compound which targets a protein that acts as a brake on hair growth and plays a role in baldness.

Project leader Dr Nathan Hawkshaw, from the University of Manchester, said it could “make a real difference to people who suffer from hair loss”, the BBC reported.

Published in PLOS Biology, the research was with done with samples of scalp hair follicles from more than 40 male hair-transplant patients. The researchers first latched onto an old immunosuppressive drug, cyclosporine A, used since the 1980s to prevent transplant organ rejection and reduce symptoms of autoimmune disease.

The scientists found that the drug reduced the activity of a protein called SFRP1, a key growth regulator that affects many tissues including hair follicles, the BBC reported. However, side effects meant CsA was unsuitable

The team went on to look for another agent that targeted SFRP1 and found that WAY316606 was even better at suppressing the protein.

The BBC reported that Dr Hawkshaw feels a clinical trial is required to see if the treatment is effective and safe in people.