Interview with Dr. Cotsarelis

hellouser

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I can describe this meeting in ONE word: BRIEF.

I'm really sorry guys, but I could NOT get any questions answered in regards to wounding or even Follica. Dr. Cotsarelis would not comment on any of them, not even trials, status, or anything of the sort. All he could say is that the trials are going. This is really unfortunate because the vast majority, or essentially, almost all of my questions were about wounding or Follica related! Also, I only got a few minutes to talk to him as he was always busy, I tried approaching him two other times before and couldn't get a moment with him.

I recommend doing the following;

Finding another doctor/researcher with just as much knowledge on the matter that isn't affiliated Follica and trying to get as much information as we can. I know many of us are going down the wounding method, and I fully support the initiative, so we just need some details like how big/deep the wound needs to be? When do we add the additional agents like lithium chloride, etc or whatever else may be necessary.

HOWEVER!

Through another source I can confirm this:

Follica is fully alive and still undergoing clinical trials. They we're in 'hibernation mode' but that's all that can be said.

Now, in regards to the PGD2 stuff, this is where I was able to get some answers. So I'll go down the list:

1) Solutions like Setipiprant and AM211 (I have a presentation on that as well which I'll post soon) or other PGD2 inhibitors, SHOULD work just as well topically as they would orally if they go systemic. However, I also asked if they didn't go systemic, would they still be effective in blocking PGD2 in the follicles environment and he answered yes.
2) The inhibitors are not dose dependant.
3) PGD2 levels in early vs. late study baldness have NOT been examined as they don't get tissue for late stage baldness.
4) AM211 works similarly to Setipiprant, but are not dose dependant but had some purity issues.
5) He says he'd be shocked if the congress passed the 21st century act.
6) Dosing for setipiprant would depend on the levels in the skin.

That's all guys!

Many thanks to Dr. Cotsarelis as well for speaking with me! This guy's tough to get a hold of, just wish we could know more about Follica and the wounding protocol.a
 

bobby dearfield

New Member
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3
I can describe this meeting in ONE word: BRIEF.

I'm really sorry guys, but I could NOT get any questions answered in regards to wounding or even Follica. Dr. Cotsarelis would not comment on any of them, not even trials, status, or anything of the sort. All he could say is that the trials are going. This is really unfortunate because the vast majority, or essentially, almost all of my questions were about wounding or Follica related! Also, I only got a few minutes to talk to him as he was always busy, I tried approaching him two other times before and couldn't get a moment with him.

I recommend doing the following;

Finding another doctor/researcher with just as much knowledge on the matter that isn't affiliated Follica and trying to get as much information as we can. I know many of us are going down the wounding method, and I fully support the initiative, so we just need some details like how big/deep the wound needs to be? When do we add the additional agents like lithium chloride, etc or whatever else may be necessary.

HOWEVER!

Through another source I can confirm this:

Follica is fully alive and still undergoing clinical trials. They we're in 'hibernation mode' but that's all that can be said.

Now, in regards to the PGD2 stuff, this is where I was able to get some answers. So I'll go down the list:

1) Solutions like Setipiprant and AM211 (I have a presentation on that as well which I'll post soon) or other PGD2 inhibitors, SHOULD work just as well topically as they would orally if they go systemic. However, I also asked if they didn't go systemic, would they still be effective in blocking PGD2 in the follicles environment and he answered yes.
2) The inhibitors are not dose dependant.
3) PGD2 levels in early vs. late study baldness have NOT been examined as they don't get tissue for late stage baldness.
4) AM211 works similarly to Setipiprant, but are not dose dependant but had some purity issues.
5) He says he'd be shocked if the congress passed the 21st century act.
6) Dosing for setipiprant would depend on the levels in the skin.

That's all guys!

Many thanks to Dr. Cotsarelis as well for speaking with me! This guy's tough to get a hold of, just wish we could know more about Follica and the wounding protocol.a


Why is that? why all this mystery? Hellouser, do you have a clue why Follica does that?
 

Parsia

Established Member
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67
I can describe this meeting in ONE word: BRIEF.

I'm really sorry guys, but I could NOT get any questions answered in regards to wounding or even Follica. Dr. Cotsarelis would not comment on any of them, not even trials, status, or anything of the sort. All he could say is that the trials are going. This is really unfortunate because the vast majority, or essentially, almost all of my questions were about wounding or Follica related! Also, I only got a few minutes to talk to him as he was always busy, I tried approaching him two other times before and couldn't get a moment with him.

I recommend doing the following;

Finding another doctor/researcher with just as much knowledge on the matter that isn't affiliated Follica and trying to get as much information as we can. I know many of us are going down the wounding method, and I fully support the initiative, so we just need some details like how big/deep the wound needs to be? When do we add the additional agents like lithium chloride, etc or whatever else may be necessary.

HOWEVER!

Through another source I can confirm this:

Follica is fully alive and still undergoing clinical trials. They we're in 'hibernation mode' but that's all that can be said.

Now, in regards to the PGD2 stuff, this is where I was able to get some answers. So I'll go down the list:

1) Solutions like Setipiprant and AM211 (I have a presentation on that as well which I'll post soon) or other PGD2 inhibitors, SHOULD work just as well topically as they would orally if they go systemic. However, I also asked if they didn't go systemic, would they still be effective in blocking PGD2 in the follicles environment and he answered yes.
2) The inhibitors are not dose dependant.
3) PGD2 levels in early vs. late study baldness have NOT been examined as they don't get tissue for late stage baldness.
4) AM211 works similarly to Setipiprant, but are not dose dependant but had some purity issues.
5) He says he'd be shocked if the congress passed the 21st century act.
6) Dosing for setipiprant would depend on the levels in the skin.

That's all guys!

Many thanks to Dr. Cotsarelis as well for speaking with me! This guy's tough to get a hold of, just wish we could know more about Follica and the wounding protocol.a

Hellouser , Good job man . Thanks for updating us.

So in brief , do you think the dosage you are doing Seti orally is enough and do not need to increase?

My Seti Has arrived today and I am going to start my trail soon.
 

hellouser

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Why is that? why all this mystery? Hellouser, do you have a clue why Follica does that?

I honestly don't know, I wish I could tell you. They've been radio silent for about 4+ years now. The last semi-official news from them was the info about FGF-9 and apparently they were able to create hair via wounding... but, how much hair and what kind of hair; terminal or vellus?

I asked Dr. Cotsarelis about 3 times if he could comment at all on Follica and said he couldn't. So, there's that. But, at least he's pretty open with the PGD2 info, so that's definitely a plus.
 

bobby dearfield

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I honestly don't know, I wish I could tell you. They've been radio silent for about 4+ years now. The last semi-official news from them was the info about FGF-9 and apparently they were able to create hair via wounding... but, how much hair and what kind of hair; terminal or vellus?

I asked Dr. Cotsarelis about 3 times if he could comment at all on Follica and said he couldn't. So, there's that. But, at least he's pretty open with the PGD2 info, so that's definitely a plus.

And Sarah Millar, she is from Follica too, have you tried to talk to her, maybe she was more approachable.
 

hellouser

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And Sarah Millar, she is from Follica too, have you tried to talk to her, maybe she was more approachable.

I did contact her and she also stated she could not comment on Follica and suggested I speak to Dr. Cotsarelis.
 

Solomon

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Hope that it's silence before storm and we will have some veery good news from follica soon ^_^
 

Norwood One

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6) Dosing for setipiprant would depend on the levels in the skin.

That's interesting. So it's dose dependent based on a person's body chemistry. How does one go about testing for the amounts of PGD2 in skin?
 

whatevr

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In practice they will probably put most people on the same starting dose and then adjust up or down based on the (lack of) response. I doubt they will bother with measurements and what not, seeing as it seems to be relatively safe so far.
 

NewUser

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What we do know is that Cotsarelis has lots of patents surrounded by lots of secrecy. Maybe it's a good sign.

September 2015 Follica is developing an out-patient therapy coupled with an at-home system for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (hair loss) and has assembled a team of leading experts in the dermatology and medical device development fields to develop and commercialize its product platform. Follica has three main families of patents pertaining to its principal technology areas, with patents issued in certain geographies as well as applications pending worldwide.

An out-patient "therapy coupled with an at-home system" sounds to me like they have something. They have something worth patenting, and it's potentially worth a lot of money.
 

NewUser

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quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by hellouser
They've been radio silent for about 4+ years now. The last semi-official news from them was the info about FGF-9 and apparently they were able to create hair via wounding... but, how much hair and what kind of hair; terminal or vellus?

I asked Dr. Cotsarelis about 3 times if he could comment at all on Follica and said he couldn't. So, there's that. But, at least he's pretty open with the PGD2 info, so that's definitely a plus.

It might have something to do with the parent company, Puretech, deciding to list with the London stock exchange in the UK. I know it says Puretech declined to comment wrt questions concerning its decision to sell 25% of its holdings to raise capital. It could be that Follica reps, too, are verboten from talking to reporters?

From May 2015 PureTech declined to comment on its rationale this morning, citing regulatory restrictions that bar the firm from talking to U.S. reporters. But co-founder and CEO Daphne Zohar (pictured above) said in a few international reports that PureTech chose London over the U.S. stock exchanges because “investors understand [PureTech’s] model,” and because the U.K. “leads the world in the listed technology-transfer space.”


Apparently it's their business model to avoid "flipping" any of its growth companies for a quick sale. It sounds like their intention is to reduce pressure on startups to sink or swim and, instead, focus on R&D and generating revenues at some point. They do talk about achieving milestones as a measure of progress/viability. Sounds good to me. What are growth companies? One example is Google.
 

Swoop

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Cotsarelis says that in gauging future prospects for alopecia treatment, it’s important to have realistic expectations. “I’d hate to use the word cure, because I don’t think male-pattern baldness can be completely reversed,” he says. “Instead, we’ll develop different treatments, and as with other personalized therapies in medicine, some will work better in various subgroups than others.”

Oehw. Seems Cotsarelis has landed somewhat down on his feet.
 

Follisket

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So no one's reversing it and no one is really preventing it either. So just what exactly is everyone doing?
And how much wider shoud we be spreading our cheeks?
 

resu

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If we revert most with treatments, then hair cloning and hair transplant to restore the best density possible to cover up the scalp, if that's the worse scenario it's still better than what we got now.
 

LawOfThelema

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...

1) Solutions like Setipiprant and AM211 (I have a presentation on that as well which I'll post soon) or other PGD2 inhibitors, SHOULD work just as well topically as they would orally if they go systemic. However, I also asked if they didn't go systemic, would they still be effective in blocking PGD2 in the follicles environment and he answered yes.
2) The inhibitors are not dose dependant.
...
4) AM211 works similarly to Setipiprant, but are not dose dependant but had some purity issues.


great work at making it to the congress and investing your time into grilling these people!

you mean PTGDS inhibitors? is this what AM211 is? if so, its interesting they arent dose dependent (like finasteride basically isnt)

i would try to talk to garza. afterall, he authored the more lay oriented article and is probably more down to earth than cotsarelis who seems very involved in the pure basic research aspect just as much as the treatment aspect.
 
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