Japanese researchers have begun testing a tooth regrowth drug, the world’s first human trial of a revolutionary tooth regeneration drug

According to the scientists, the drug stimulates the regrowth of natural teeth by blocking the USAG-1 protein, which inhibits tooth growth. The goal of this trial is to revolutionize dental care by 2030.

Testing of the drug to restore tooth growth has begun in Osaka

Dr. Katsu Takahashi and his team at Kitano Hospital in Osaka, in collaboration with Kyoto University researchers, have launched the first human clinical trial of a drug that can enable the body to naturally regenerate new teeth. The study, launched in October 2024, includes 30 healthy men, aged 30 to 64, each missing at least one tooth, while the aim is to assess the safety of the treatment. The drug works by deactivating the protein USAG-1, which is responsible for stopping the growth of new teeth, thus activating the “dormant” tooth buds to form a third set of teeth.

In animal tests, a single dose of the drug TRG-035, developed by Toregem Biopharma and Kyoto University, was sufficient to regrow a fully functional tooth. If the final results are good and the study is successful, the scientists plan to test the drug on children who suffer from congenital toothlessness and hope to have it available for all forms of toothlessness sometime around 2030.

Teeth are not bones, but they are the strongest material in the human body

Although bones can regenerate themselves when broken, teeth do not, which means that millions of people worldwide suffer from some form of missing teeth. The average adult’s body contains 206 bones, hardened mixtures of calcium, minerals and collagen, which serve as a kind of biological skeleton. Although we probably don’t think about them often, bones are extremely durable. Even when they break, they are capable of renewing themselves and growing again.

Teeth, however, are not bones. Although they are made up of some of the same materials and are the strongest material in the human body, thanks to the protective layer of enamel, they lack the key ability to heal themselves and regrow.

The drug will be administered intravenously to prove its efficacy and safety, and thankfully no adverse effects have been reported in previous animal studies. If all goes well, Kitano Hospital in Osaka will apply the treatment to patients who are missing at least four teeth, aged 2 to 7 years. Although these treatments are currently aimed at patients with congenital absence of teeth, dr. Takahashi hopes that the treatment will become accessible to all those who have lost a tooth.

People’s expectations for tooth growth are high

“We want to do something to help those who suffer from tooth loss. Although until now there has not been a treatment that would provide a permanent cure, we think that people’s expectations for tooth growth are high”, declared Dr. Takahashi as early as 2024.

Source: prizrenpost