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NCT Number: NCT06764719

Cryopreserved Hair Follicles for Disease and Cell Replacement

To explore the application of cells expanded from plucked hair follicles after collection, transport, and cryopreservation, in disease modeling and cell-based therapies.

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Key information

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus Endocrine System Diseases Glucose Metabolism Disorders Injury Traumatic Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Sport Injury Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Acorn Biolabs

Toronto, Quebec, M5R 0C7, Canada

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Drew Taylor, MSc, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

226-929-8476

About this study

Hair Follicles collected and transported in Acorn's proprietary transport media can serve has therapeutic starting materials for future cell-based therapeutics. This study is to characterize primary cell outgrowth, functional stem cell generation and induced pluripotent stem cell line(s) from primary outgrowth(s) as well as evaluate and characterize differentiation of stem cell lines into functional cell types required for various disease states and cell-based application(s).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Gender: Male or Female.
  • Age: ≥18 and ≤80 years.
  • Language proficiency: Able to read and understand English.
  • Informed consent: Willing to provide written, informed consent to participate in all study activities.

Exclusion criteria

  • Scalp/Hair Disorders: Subjects diagnosed with active scalp infections or inflammatory skin conditions.
  • Systemic Conditions: Subjects with chronic illnesses, such as autoimmune diseases or diabetes, that may impact scalp health or wound healing.
  • Medications: Subjects on immunosuppressants, steroids, or other medications associated with hair loss.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Characterize primary cellular outgrowth(s)

    Time frame: 30 days

    10 hair follicles will be placed in a tissue culture plate per participants. Over the course of 30 days, the outgrowth percentage (the number of outgrowths present out of 10 will be monitored and the confluency (percent of cells present in relation to surface area) will be noted for each participant.

  2. Evaluate functional stem cell generation and induced pluripotent stem cell line(s) from primary outgrowth(s)

    Time frame: 21 days

    1 million keratinocytes will be taken for reprogramming for each participant. The number of iPS colonies observed on day 21 will be noted, resulting in a reprogramming efficiency score.

  3. Evaluate and characterize differentiation of stem cell lines into functional cell types required for various disease states and cell-based application(s)

    Time frame: 30 days

    iPS cell lines which have been confirmed to be pluripotent will be differentiated into pancreatic progenitor cells and hematopoietic stem cells. The cells will be analyzed using FLOW cytometry and the percentage of double positive cells will be noted for each participant. This will be repeated for multiple pathways such as the hematopoietic and endothelial lineage(s).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Drew Taylor, MSc, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

226-929-8476

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Acorn Biolabs Inc.

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

Characterization of Cryopreserved Plucked Hair Follicles and Generation of Functional Cell Lines for Disease Modeling and Cell Replacement Therapies

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 8, 2025
Registry last updated
Oct 2, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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