Toregem Biopharma moves to human trials of USAG-1-blocking tooth drug
Technology
Japanese pharmaceutical company Toregem Biopharma is moving ahead with human trials to see if its new treatment can actually help people regrow lost teeth.
Backed by fresh funding, the team will test a drug that blocks USAG-1, a protein that stops new teeth from forming, after seeing success in mice.
Toregem's adult safety tests look promising
Early studies and safety tests in adults look promising, and Toregem hopes this could replace implants or dentures.
But experts point out it might work better for children than adults, since children have more of the cells needed to grow new teeth.
There are also questions about how precisely the treatment can target specific teeth, but even so, it's a big step forward for regenerative dentistry.