27/09/2023 (Japan) - A team of scientists, led by a Japanese pharmaceutical startup, had been working on a groundbreaking drug aimed at stimulating the growth of new teeth—a pioneering endeavor scheduled for release around 2030.
Toregem Biopharma Co, backed by Kyoto University, embarked on clinical trials involving healthy adults in approximately July 2024 to verify the drug's safety. This milestone followed their successful growth of new teeth in mice back in 2018.
It's important to note that most individuals possess "tooth buds" capable of becoming new teeth, alongside their baby and permanent teeth. However, these buds typically fail to develop and eventually disappear.
The team devised an antibody drug that countered the protein responsible for inhibiting tooth growth. This drug effectively targeted these tooth buds, sparking their growth.
In 2018, the team also administered the drug to ferrets, which share similarities with humans in having both baby and permanent teeth. Remarkably, new teeth emerged as a result.
Looking ahead, the team outlined plans to initiate a clinical trial for the drug starting in 2025. This trial will focus on children aged 2 to 6 with anodontia, a condition characterized by the absence of some or all permanent teeth. A single dose of the drug will be administered to stimulate tooth growth in these children.
Furthermore, there are aspirations to utilize the drug in addressing tooth loss due to cavities among adults. Katsu Takahashi, co-founder of Toregem Biopharma and head of dentistry and oral surgery at Kitano Hospital in Osaka, stressed the significance of this development, emphasizing its potential to resolve dental issues, particularly in children whose jaw bone development can be affected by missing teeth.