Medicine to regrow teeth? Here’s what we know about the experimental medicine advanced to clinical trials in Japan

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Mainichi, a national news site. The trial will focus on patients affected by anodontia, a genetic condition resulting in the absence of teeth, or partial anodontia, where individuals are missing some teeth, as described by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Scheduled to commence in July 2024, the clinical trials will take place in Japan. Should the results prove successful, regulatory approval for the medicine is anticipated by 2030, offering potential revolutionary advancements in the field of dentistry.

Dr. Katsu Takahashi, the head of the dentistry and oral surgery department at the Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital, expressed his enthusiasm for the concept of growing new teeth. «The idea of growing new teeth is every dentist's dream,» Dr. Takahashi stated in an interview with Mainichi. Dr. Takahashi's pursuit of this dream began during his graduate student years and has continued ever since. Following his dental education, he embarked on graduate studies in molecular biology at Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan, in 1991. During this time, research in the United States was exploring genes that could influence tooth growth in mice, and Dr. Takahashi was drawn to this field. His journey took him to the United States, where he joined the research community exploring the potential of these genes and their impact on tooth development. Dr. Takahashi's dedication and passion have been instrumental in bringing him closer to turning his dream into a reality.

Upon discovering that a single gene mutation could influence the number of teeth, Dr. Takahashi embarked on further investigations to target specific