Nature Publication Reveals Cutting-Edge Advancements in Understanding Hair Growth

Exclusive Licensing Agreement Allows for Access to Promising Early-Stage Protein

SAN DIEGO, CA., June 21, 2023 – Amplifica Holdings Group, Inc. (“Amplifica”), a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company announced that research into a naturally occurring process for hair growth that may lead to the treatment of hair loss was published in the journal Nature. Nature is an international journal publishing original peer-reviewed research that is of broad significance in all fields of science and technology. Work on the research paper entitled “Signaling by senescent melanocytes hyperactivates hair growth” was led by Amplifica’s co-founder Maksim Plikus, Ph.D.

“The extensive research completed by Dr. Plikus and his international team of colleagues to potentially identify a pathway towards new hair growth is groundbreaking,” commented Frank Fazio, President and CEO.  “The publication of these original findings in the leading interdisciplinary journal Nature further validates Amplifica’s pipeline compounds and its plans to develop novel solutions to treat hair loss.”

The publication describes the research efforts by the team as they developed specialized mouse models with the same genetic alterations seen in human pigmented skin nevi more commonly referred to as moles. Researchers tracked the activity of hair follicle stem cells in mole skin over time and found that the excessive hair growth in these mice was driven by a shorter than typical time frame between consecutive hair growth cycles. By analyzing the signals released by the mole’s pigmented cells, known as senescent melanocytes, the researchers identified one specific signaling molecule, called osteopontin, that is produced by these mole’s cells at a high level and that potently stimulates hair follicle stem cells for robust hair growth. The team also found that like the mouse model, samples of human hairy skin moles had increased levels of osteopontin when compared to adjacent normal skin. To further test the hair growth effects of osteopontin, collaborators at Amplifica administered a dose of osteopontin to human hair follicles in skin grafts. In doing so, the researchers were able to induce new growth by human hair follicles in a robust pre-clinical model.

“This publication is the result of nearly 10 years of research completed by the international team of scientists, and we are delighted to have Nature recognize the strength of our results,” stated Maksim Plikus, Ph.D., Amplifica’s Chief Scientific Officer, and professor of Developmental and Cell Biology at the University of California, Irvine. “Of the signals released by senescent melanocytes, osteopontin appears to have the greatest effect on hair growth. The team plans to study other candidate molecules to fully understand this system and I am eager to see what other potential pathways to hair regrowth are revealed.”

Results from this extensive research validate the potential for hair growth stimulation with compounds that are under development by Amplifica. Amplifica recognized the value of the research being conducted under Dr. Plikus’ leadership and entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with The Regents of the University of California in 2019, covering the inventions described in the Nature publication. The compound highlighted in the Nature publication is referenced as AMP-203 at Amplifica.

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