{"id":2779,"date":"2026-06-16T06:32:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T06:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=2779"},"modified":"2026-06-16T06:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T06:32:14","slug":"organtech-aims-to-regenerate-hair-and-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=2779","title":{"rendered":"OrganTech Aims to Regenerate Hair and Teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

I have covered Japan-based OrganTech (previously known as Organ Technologies) for many years due to the company\u2019s affiliation with founder Dr. Takashi Tsuji<\/a> and RIKEN (Japan). I have covered Dr. Tsuji\u2019s groundbreaking hair loss cure related work for over 12 years. This post was first written in 2020, and I regularly update it with the latest developments on top<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Update: June 4, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Injecting the \u201cThird Cell\u201d Planned for 2027<\/h3>\n

A day after I made the below major update yesterday, Dr. Tsuji granted a new interview<\/a> to a Japanese website (h\/t \u201cTheo\u201d) with some very interesting points.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A therapy involving injecting \u201cthe third cell\u201d into the affected area of hair loss is planned for 2027. Following that, the goal is to transplant hair follicle seed cells containing the third type of cell by 2028. Finally, the transplanting of regenerated hair follicles cultured in vitro (third generation) will occur by the 2030s. I am not sure from the translation whether the 2027 first generation treatment will be available to all (or just for clinical trial participants).<\/li>\n
  2. The estimated cost (for the third generation treatment I think) will be around 20 million Japanese yen (equivalent to $125,000). This matches the lower end of the 20 million to 40 million yen<\/a> estimate that Dr. Tsuji announced in 2019, albeit before the new \u201cthird cell\u201d discovery. They plan to reduce costs to around 5 to 10 million yen down the road. I assume that the first generation 2027 treatment will be a lot cheaper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Key quote from Dr Tsuji:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe crucial difference with the third generation is that they are cultured outside the body, and seedlings are grown from seeds and then transplanted. Just like with rice cultivation, it is more reliable to plant seedlings that have properly developed than to sow the seeds and pick what grows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Update: June 3, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    OrganTech gets Financing and Dr. Tsuji gets the Attention of the BBC<\/h3>\n

    In a great development, OrganTech just announced<\/a> the successful completion of a financing round to support its next stage of growth. Some of these new funds will go into \u201caccelerating the hair regeneration research and business development\u201d related to the \u201cThird Cell Type\u201d. I discussed these \u201cThird Cell\u201d findings in my prior two updates from earlier this year.<\/p>\n

    Long-time readers of this blog may remember how the first iteration of OrganTech (Organ Technologies) had to fold due to lack of funding. In 2021, I even tried to help RIKEN<\/a> raise funds per their request (since I had so much respect for Dr. Tsuji).<\/p>\n

    Also of significance, Dr. Tsuji got major coverage today in an article about women\u2019s hair loss in the BBC<\/a>. In the past, he almost never got any mentions in western media. Interestingly, they skipped covering almost all of Dr. Tsuji\u2019s past two decades of work. The focus is just on the 2026 \u201cnovel third cell type\u201d breakthrough finding, which Dr. Tsuji describes as a potential game changer in the treatment of alopecia.<\/p>\n

    Update: May 20, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Production of Hair Regeneration Supporting \u201cThird Cell\u201d Begins<\/h3>\n

    OrganTech has granted<\/a> a manufacturing license to Kojin Bio (Japan) for the production of the \u201cThird Cell\u201d (hair follicle regeneration support cell). The latter was discussed in my last update. Apparently, Kojin Bio already sells a high-performance culture medium that enables the cultivation of dermal papilla cells and hair follicle regeneration supporting cells.<\/p>\n

    Note that the artificially created \u201cthird cell\u201d assists adult hair follicle-derived epithelial stem cells and dermal papilla cells to progress beyond hair bulb formation to actual hair shaft production.<\/p>\n

    Update: February 21, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    OrganTech and RIKEN Scientists Discover \u201cThird Cell\u201d that Produces Hair<\/h3>\n
    \"OrganTech
    OrganTech \u201cthird cell\u201d for hair regeneration. Assists adult hair follicle\u2013derived epithelial stem cells and dermal papilla cells to progress beyond hair bulb formation to sustained down-growth and hair shaft production.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    OrganTech and RIKEN just published a new study<\/a> regarding the identification and subsequent artificial creation of a \u201cthird cell<\/a>\u201d to induce hair growth in mice. They first made the discovery of a previously unrecognized accessory mesenchymal cell population that is indispensable for functional hair follicle regeneration.<\/p>\n

    When this new third cell was added to two existing cells (that had previously been identified as necessary for hair production), they were able to create a hair-producing organ. If applied to humans, this could lead to the development of new treatments for alopecia. The plan to begin clinical trials by the end of 2026. More details can be found on their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cSpecifically, the investigators describe a \u201cthird cell type,\u201d termed hair follicle regeneration\u2013supporting cells, which enables adult hair follicle\u2013derived epithelial stem cells and dermal papilla cells to progress beyond hair bulb formation to sustained downgrowth and hair shaft production.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Edit:<\/strong> This news is now being published in many different publications. The latest eye catching headline:<\/p>\n

    \u201cScientists Built Working Hair Follicles in a Lab. They Could Cure Baldness Forever.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

    It was already known that epithelial stem cells and dermal papilla cells are important for hair follicle regeneration. But while the presence of a \u2018third cell\u2019 was considered essential for hair follicles to enter the growth phase and produce hair, its identity remained unknown for a long time per Dr. Tsuji.<\/p>\n

    In contrast to the conventional hypothesis that it was fibroblasts or adipocytes, the Tsuji team discovered a new group of cells in the mesenchymal region surrounding the bulge region of the hair follicle. These hair follicle regeneration supporting cells lead to the down-growth phenomenon in which hair follicles extend into the deeper layers of the skin.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe discovery that a third type of cell divides and powerfully pushes the tip of the hair follicle deeper into the skin is a groundbreaking achievement that overturns previous research. Mouse experiments have demonstrated that fully functional hair follicles can be regenerated by stacking these three types of cells vertically.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Update: July 12, 2025<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    HairDao\u2019s much anticipated interview with Dr. Tsuji is out. I am traveling outside the country right now and won\u2019t get a chance to listen to it till tomorrow.<\/p>\n

    Update: December 18, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cWhen one door (Stemson<\/a>) closes, another one opens.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    OrganTech to Test Hair Multiplication in Humans in 2025<\/h3>\n

    Yesterday, OrganTech (Japan) applied for human testing permission to the Japanese government\u2019s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. More specifically, to the ethics committee<\/a>. For some reason, they spell the company name as Organtec. The blurb in the middle of the below image reads: \u201cOrgantec Co., Ltd. Ethics Committee for Academic Research Involving Human<\/strong> Subjects.<\/em>\u201d Note that it is translated from Japanese.<\/p>\n

    Update 1:<\/span><\/strong> More details here<\/a>.
    Update 2: <\/span><\/strong>Affiliated institutions can be seen     here<\/a>. It looks like this must be related to hair, since two of the named companies (Tokyo Memorial Clinic and Sato Beauty Clinic) specialize in treating hair loss.<\/p>\n

    They previously announced their aim to begin human trials for their hair multiplication technology in 2024. It looks like this will likely happen in 2025, assuming government permission is granted. Per the prior news from December 6 2024, OrganTech\u2019s human clinical trials for the company\u2019s next-generation teeth bioimplant will definitely begin in 2025. So I assume that permission for teeth has already been granted.<\/p>\n

    \"OrganTech\"OrganTech
    OrganTech Human Trials Application.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Update: December 6, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"OrganTech\"OrganTech
    OrganTech (Japan)\u2019s new laboratory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    OrganTech has become a member of the prestigious Japanese Business Federation Keidanren<\/a> (described as the voice of big business in Japan). The Keidanren website has a page<\/a> on OrganTech in their December 2024 new member introduction (they call the company \u201cOrgantec\u201d).<\/p>\n

    In the description, they mention that human clinical trials for the company\u2019s next-generation teeth bioimplant will begin this fiscal year. When it comes to hair, OrganTech is described as:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe first in the world to develop first-generation hair regeneration by transplanting regenerated hair follicle primordia. They have also developed a pipeline that includes second-generation regenerated hair follicle primordia and third-generation regenerated hair follicles. The company will proceed sequentially with clinical development and commercialization.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    In a separate page<\/a>, they include a message from Dr. Takashi Tsuji and also have two photos of OrganTech\u2019s new laboratory.<\/p>\n

    Update: October 10, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    New CEO Yoshio Shimo<\/h4>\n

    In a surprising turn of events, OrganTech has replaced its young CEO<\/a> Takashi Kondo with Yoshio Shimo. And they have a new COO named Dr. Yoshitake Yamaguchi. The company did not as yet make any press release about this major change, but long time reader \u201cTheo\u201d let me know via e-mail.<\/p>\n

    Mr. Shimo was previously the CEO of Hino Motors (Japan), an important subsidiary of Toyota (Japan). Dr. Yamaguchi did make an announcement about his new position on Linkedin three days ago<\/a>. He has a Phd in Physics and has worked for a range of companies over the past several decades. Often on a part-time basis.<\/p>\n

    Update: F<\/span><\/strong>ebruary 23, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    More great news. OrganTech (Japan) is entering the South Korean market<\/a>. Their local partner OrganEcoTech will get exclusive rights to OrganTech\u2019s artificial organ regenerative medicine technology, including hair growth. They also plan<\/a> to enter the US regenerative medicine sector.<\/p>\n

    \"OrganTech\"OrganTech
    OrganTech (Japan) and OrganEcoTech (South Korrea). New partnership.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Update: February 20, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    OrganTech CEO Takashi Kondo Interview<\/h3>\n

    A new interview with OrganTech CEO Dr. Takashi Kondo<\/a>. Key quote:<\/p>\n

    \n

    In terms of hair regeneration, the future is just around the corner where people who suffer from thinning hair or alopecia will no longer have to worry about it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    He also says that they can increase the number of hairs from 200 to 20,000 via Dr. Tsuji\u2019s autologous hair multiplication process. Hair and teeth regeneration remain their primary areas of focus. He also mentions the progress in artificial skin regeneration technology and and his desire to see a world without the need for animal testing.<\/p>\n

    The company currently only has six employees. Five researchers at RIKEN in Kobe; and one (himself, the CEO and person in charge of business and finance) in Tokyo. Per the news below from earlier this month, OrganTech will hire and additional six new scientists by summer.<\/p>\n

    They are being approached by many pharmaceutical and beauty industry companies for partnership opportunities. Ultimately, this will translate into faster fundraising, ecomomies of scale and a lower final cost of treatment.<\/p>\n

    Update: February 16, 2024<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Reader \u201cTheo\u201d regularly e-mails me very unique info from Asia that I would never have found by myself. I could not get the second link below to translate properly, but I trust what \u201cTheo\u201d said. So I am pasting his words in the below three bullet points with minor grammar changes by me.<\/p>\n

    As always, Dr. Takashi Tsuji sounds very sincere. In the first link below, read his recollection of the two big tragedies at RIKEN. OrganTech seems very focused and is unlikely to repeat the past fundraising related mistakes from the Tsuji team.<\/p>\n

    \"OrganTech\"OrganTech
    Dr. Takashi Tsuji of RIKEN presenting to university students recently. His hair and teeth regeneration work is now undertaken via OrganTech.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n