- Japanese pharmaceutical company Toregem Biopharma announced that it has developed a new antibody drug that stops proteins responsible for suppressing tooth growth in the mouth.
- In other words, this treatment could – potentially – be used to regrow human teeth.
Considered a futuristic alternative to implants or prosthetics, the drug aims to take advantage of the body’s own abilities.
The company now plans to launch human clinical trials in July 2024 and launch the drug by 2030, depending on the results, Japan Times reported.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide the advanced and scientifically guided clinical solution for the growth of teeth derived from their own tissue,” Honoka Kiso, Toregem’s president, said on the company’s website. he wrote.
The drug works by inhibiting a gene called USAG-1, which is responsible for preventing the “tooth buds” found in most people from developing into milk teeth or permanent teeth. It is thought that Toregem’s new drug will stimulate the growth of these buds by inhibiting this gene.
Some animal research has been promising. In 2018, the team tested the drug on ferrets, which have tooth buds similar to humans, and found that new teeth grew successfully.
The company hopes to begin trials in 2025 with children ages 2 to 6 who have anodontia, a genetic disorder that prevents permanent teeth from developing.
Beyond such genetic disorders, Toregem Biopharma also hopes to help adults who lose teeth due to cavities.
Compiled by: Görkem Süner