A drug that regrows teeth could be on the market by 2030, if all goes well in an upcoming clinical trial. Beginning in September of this year, 30 adult males will be intravenously administered the medicine as part of a Phase I study into its safety and efficacy, marking the first time that a drug of this sort has been tested on humans.
During previous rounds of testing on animals, the formula showed enormous potential to trigger the re-emergence of lost dentition, with a single dose being sufficient to regrow a tooth in ferrets. According to the researchers leading the trial, the current version of the drug was also well-tolerated by the rodents, with no adverse effects reported, indicating that it can now be given to people for further study.
The medication contains an antibody for a gene called USAG-1, which inhibits the growth of teeth by binding to a growth factor called BMP. The first phase of the trial will be held at Kyoto Hospital in Japan over a period of 11 months, involving healthy individuals who all have at least one tooth missing.
If the trial is a success, researchers plan to start administering the drug to children suffering from congenital tooth deficiency, beginning with patients between the ages of two and seven who have at least four teeth missing since birth.
“We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,” lead researcher Katsu Takahashi told The Mainichi. “While there has been no treatment to date providing a permanent cure, we feel that people’s expectations for tooth growth are high.”
If these upcoming trials prove successful, the researchers say the drug could be widely available within six years and could be used to regrow teeth in patients with congenital deficiencies as well as those who have lost teeth due to injuries or decay.
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