In my humble opinion; while RIKEN, if ever released, will have the ultimate and final solution to Androgenetic Alopecia...by that time, chances are we'll already have *better* options than we have today (Shiseido, Follica). So, there will most likely exist competition, atleast for lower Norwoods. Just like Shiseido's treatment, RIKEN will have to get some tissue from the back of the head, and then multiply, clone (call it what you want). Then, it'll have to be injected. In this sense, if you think about it, there's not a very big difference when it comes to labour etc comparing those two. Well, there may be *some* or bigger differences upon injections (RIKEN will co-op with surgeons), but it's all up in the air, still. And most of us will prolly agree that transplant prices are mostly dictated by labour intesiveness, hence price pr graft and different prices in different countries. Now, we have already got some clue about the price of Shiseido, and what we can expect there. Not even 1000 usd.
Again, in my humble opinion, the guesstimated prices of the future RIKEN treatment quoted by members here, are prolly dictated and (maybe) inflated because of the only fact we know about it from them; initially 10 000 patients per year. Or is there something else I have missed? Maybe the prices will be atronomical after all, but does that really make sense from an economical/business perspective also?
Aaanyways; all we can do is speculate, and one day I sure would like to know what price they land on. After all, many things can still change, and so can their ''plan'' of 10 000 initial patients