Science World-first tooth-regrowing drug will be given to humans in September

https://newatlas.com/medical/tooth-regrowing-human-trial/

(Archive)
Follow-up to another thread from last September.

The world's first human trial of a drug that can regenerate teeth will begin in a few months, less than a year on from news of its success in animals. This paves the way for the medicine to be commercially available as early as 2030.

The trial, which will take place at Kyoto University Hospital from September to August 2025, will treat 30 males aged 30-64 who are missing at least one molar. The intravenous treatment will be tested for its efficacy on human dentition, after it successfully grew new teeth in ferret and mouse models with no significant side effects.

"We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence," said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi, head of dentistry and oral surgery at Kitano Hospital. "While there has been no treatment to date providing a permanent cure, we feel that people's expectations for tooth growth are high."

Following this 11-month first stage, the researchers will then trial the drug on patients aged 2-7 who are missing at least four teeth due to congenital tooth deficiency, which is estimated to affect 1% of people. The team is recruiting for this Phase IIa trial now.

Researchers are then looking at expanding the trial to those with partial edentulism, or people missing one to five permanent teeth due to environmental factors. The incidence of this varies from country to country, but it's estimated around 5% of Americans are missing teeth, with a much higher incidence among older adults.

The medicine itself deactivates the uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1) protein, which suppresses tooth growth. As we reported in 2023, blocking USAG-1's interaction with other proteins encourages bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, which triggers new bone to generate.

It resulted in new teeth emerging in the mouths of mice and ferrets, species that share close to the same USAG-1 properties as humans.

"The USAG-1 protein has a high amino acid homology of 97% between different animal species, including humans, mice, and beagles," the researchers noted. However, there's no word on a beagle trial just yet…

Molecular biologist and dentist Takahashi has been working on tooth regeneration since 2005, and hopes this treatment won't just be for congenital dental conditions but for anyone who has lost teeth, at any age.

If successful, this therapy could be available to patients with any permanently missing teeth within six years.

They've been testing the drug on ferrets and mice for the past year, and haven't had any significant side-effects. Now they're getting ready to start human trials.

I honestly find all of these medical advancements that have been coming out really fucking cool. First there was that sleeve that gets put around your heart and forces it to beat regularly, then there was Neuralink which lets you control computers with your mind, and now they're regrowing teeth. Of course, there's no way I'd ever actually put a chip in my brain, and I'd never be able to afford the tooth-drug unless the creators are incredibly generous, but still.

 

[WelfareNiggerQueen]

In the ferret study, the drug resulted in the growth of a new tooth (fourth from left), and it also strengthened bone in the existing set.

Hmmm. So it doesn't turn the animal into a Shark. That's good. That be insane if it just made everything into a Shark. If it did the only people who'd want this are psychos (to use the drug you need to have all your healthy teeth pulled), crackheads, and skateboarders who were on Scarred.

 

[XYZpdq Jr.]

given how cysts can grow teeth and hair seems like this is a pretty reasonable leap to try

 

[Ravier Xavenblood]

They just found the only realistic way to save KingCobra's teeth.

 

[I'm Not Racist Anymore]

Imagine if it made homeless people grow tusks like feral hogs.

 

[Fartificial Insmelligence]

I personally think this should win a Nobel prize. Regrowing teeth is such a game changer it might make the entire field of dentistry largely obsolete.

This is why I think nothing will come of it, Big Dental will find some way to tank it, lest it ruin the racket they have going on.

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

This will be such a boon for the South. There. I did the joke. Yay.

Yeah, South of Manchester.

There I did the other joke.

 

[SiccDicc]

Does this also help repair enamel? I can't find it in the article. A lot of medicine does a helluva number on enamel ranging from anti-depressants to antibiotics.

 

[Cats]

I see Terrortomas in the future of mankind

 

[Dysnomia]

I was wondering what the fuck you were talking about, but then I reread it and saw the "patients aged 2-7." That's gotta be a typo.

Edit: Apparently not. They're going to start with men between 30 and 64, and if everything goes well, they'll test it out on kids. Hih.

The children they'd be testing it on have congenitally absent teeth. I am missing four adult teeth. I still have the baby teeth. Two on each side of my front teeth. The dentist said they are in good condition for being in my mouth for over 40 years. But eventually I will need implants. If I could have real teeth growing in instead that would be much better. But I imagine the cost would be prohibitive. As it stands now I can't even get implants yet. Four would cost too much.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Fosamax victims rejoice!

 

[ArthuriusMartyrius]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't USAG-1 (the protein they are suppressing) required for blocking excessive bone growth in general and not just teeth?

Feels like this has the potential to cause some major issues in the long run if you keep up the suppression unless they have some way to make it localized.

 

[Dog-O-Tron 5000v5.0]

"Some side effects may occur in a small number of patients."

 

[Fatsuit Shinji]

Haven't been expecting the beginning of the possible future teef economy to actually start in real life.

 

[WonderWino]

I'm not sure if this will make the tooth fairy happy or piss her off cause of all the money she'll have to give out every time someone loses a tooth

 

[Otterly]

Really really cool. Not sure why they’d want to give it intravenously, if it’s a big inducer of a BMP… I would have thought the usual ‘bead soaked in the inducer’ would have been better, but hey.
This is what we should be doing with the medical field - regrowing damaged parts, fixing things, HELPING HUMAN HEALTH.

 

[Haramburger]

I am skeptical because of the rodent trials(their teeth never stop growing) and the fact that humans are born with the teeth pre-loaded, two per barrel if you ever check a baby skull/x-ray. But the terratoma point is perfectly valid so I'm impressed that they figured this out before perfecting the hair/baldness thing.

 

[duckbutter&toejamsandwich]

The children they'd be testing it on have congenitally absent teeth. I am missing four adult teeth. I still have the baby teeth. Two on each side of my front teeth. The dentist said they are in good condition for being in my mouth for over 40 years. But eventually I will need implants. If I could have real teeth growing in instead that would be much better. But I imagine the cost would be prohibitive. As it stands now I can't even get implants yet. Four would cost too much.

Go to Mexico. My relatives go for any major work they need done. It's as good as or better then the work they get done here in the States at a fraction of the cost. You can get an implant done by a dentist who trained here for a little over a grand.

 

[Banana Hammock]

I am skeptical because of the rodent trials(their teeth never stop growing) and the fact that humans are born with the teeth pre-loaded, two per barrel if you ever check a baby skull/x-ray. But the terratoma point is perfectly valid so I'm impressed that they figured this out before perfecting the hair/baldness thing.

Only the incisors of mice continue to grow (with them only having one set of teeth throughout their life), and ferrets grow two sets of teeth (baby and adult) and their teeth don't continue growing.

That said, I'm also really surprised that they figured out teeth before baldness.

 

[Billy Bob Dick]

regrowing damaged parts

don't tell the good folks in Louisiana, they just passed that bill and all

 

[Mettaur]

This is why I think nothing will come of it, Big Dental will find some way to tank it, lest it ruin the racket they have going on.

Who do you think is going to make money off it? Dentists will most likely be the ones who would need to prescribe it as a regular doctor isn't going to know when to repair or replace a tooth.