Exclusive: Pakistani scientist on the verge of curing baldness

Unexpected discoveries have long been a catalyst for scientific research, leading to major breakthroughs in fields ranging from medicine to technology.

Now, in an unexpected development, scientists have discovered a crucial piece of the puzzle: hereditary baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia.

Dr. Muhammad Yar, a tenured associate professor at COMSATS University Islamabad and a biomaterial researcher, and Sheila MacNeil, an Emeritus Professor of Tissue Engineering at the University of Sheffield in the UK, are the two minds behind this latest development.

Years ago, Dr. Muhammad Yar was working on the development of biomaterials for advanced wound care i.e. dressings (medical gels) which can help faster healing of chronic wounds, and agents which can support new blood vessels formation known as angiogenesis.

So, in 2014, during a visit to the University of Sheffield, Dr. Muhammad Yar discussed the angiogenic potential of 2-deoxy-D-ribose with Professor Sheila MacNeil.

Following their discussion, they decided to test the compound together.

From chickens to rats

Initially, when the dressing gel, containing 2-deoxyribose, was tested on chicken fertilised eggs, a lot of new increased blood vessels were seen growing towards tested material.

“We were really happy and then we went towards patent filing. A company was interested in its commercialization as wound care drafting for diabetic and burn patients,” he recalls.

The deoxyribose gel was then tested on full-thickness wounds, where it successfully promoted healing. It was, however, also observed that longer and thicker hair grew along the edges of the wounds.

“We thought that 2-deoxy-D-ribose is doing something else as well. Apart from helping in faster regeneration, it’s helping in faster growth of hair as well,” he says.

And that is how, after working on the development of wound healing, they dived into the possible baldness treatment.

They tested the deoxyribose gel on mice with testosterone-driven hair loss and applied a small amount of the gel to their bare areas.

In weeks time, the fur grew back thicker and longer, showing results comparable to minoxidil, the well-known hair loss treatment sold as Rogaine, which doesn’t actually prevent hair loss and often results in minimal regrowth in some cases.

“This is working really nicely,” Dr. Muhammad Yar updates on the latest developments.

Happy news for bald people?

With ‘impressive results’ in mice, the scientists believe there’s a good chance that 2-deoxyribose will be tested on humans next.

Dr. Muhammad Yar confirms that while testing on humans is the goal, it will first require further lab work to understand the mechanism of action of 2-deoxyribose and to obtain approvals from regulatory bodies.

“We are expecting around a year and a half to two years’ time before we test this on humans.”

If deoxyribose gel proves effective on humans, it could treat alopecia and support hair regrowth after chemotherapy.

Why does Pakistan lag behind?

When asked why it’s rare to hear about Pakistani scientists working on groundbreaking research, Dr. Muhammad Yar believes that the key is in translational research.

“We have to develop something in the lab and put this in the market. This is very, very important for economic uplift in Pakistan as well as for the universities.”

He also asserts the need for business training programs for faculty and students at Universities.

“The research which academics are doing at the universities is really important. There is a space in the market evaluation and business knowledge among faculty and students that could help translate these technologies from the lab to the clinic,” he points out.