L&C Bio's ECM Booster: Regenerating Scalps, Not Just Hair

[Kim Jinsoo, Edaily Reporter] L&C Bio announced Wednesday that its extracellular matrix (ECM) skin booster, Re2O, is drawing significant attention from the medical community as it expands its application into hair loss treatment.

Re2O, Re2O Fine. (L&C Bio)

With ongoing discussions about applying national health insurance to hair loss treatments, social perceptions are shifting to view hair loss as a medical condition rather than a simple cosmetic issue. Consequently, regenerative medicine approaches that aim to improve the scalp environment where hair follicles reside, rather than merely stimulating hair growth, are gaining traction as a new treatment strategy.

Amid this trend, Dr. Kim Ji-hyun, director of Yonsei Midain Clinic, spoke at the "Hair Loss Practical Academy" hosted by the Korean Society of Aesthetic and Dermatological Surgery on June 13. Kim presented the latest insights into ECM-based regenerative treatments and actual clinical application cases.

The event also featured a workshop demonstrating a Re2O scalp procedure using L&C Bio's injection platform, I-Ject B. Attending medical professionals observed the procedure, showing keen interest in the clinical applicability and procedural convenience of ECM-based regenerative therapies.

Re2O is an ECM-based regenerative medical material made from finely milled human acellular dermal matrix (hADM). While conventional hair loss treatments have focused on stimulating growth signals in hair follicle cells or regulating androgenic activity, Re2O distinguishes itself by focusing on improving the tissue and microenvironment surrounding the hair follicles.

According to academic studies, the progression of hair loss involves not only the decline of hair follicle stem cell function but also the loss and fibrosis of the ECM structure that supports the follicles. The scalp's ECM, composed of collagen, elastin and proteoglycans, physically supports hair follicles and stores growth factors. However, prolonged effects of aging, inflammation and androgens damage the ECM structure and cause fibrosis, creating an unfavorable environment for hair growth.

"The ultimate goal of hair loss treatment is not simply to make hair thicker, but to restore an environment where hair follicles can remain healthy," Kim said during her lecture. "ECM regeneration can be a new therapeutic approach to normalize the tissue surrounding the hair follicles.“

Re2O is particularly noted for its ability to directly supply human dermis-derived ECM components, inducing the reconstruction of the damaged scalp dermis's ECM and serving as a biological scaffold for tissue regeneration. With accumulating research in regenerative medicine showing that the ECM, rather than the cells themselves, is a core platform driving tissue regeneration, the concept of ECM regeneration ? previously utilized in skin, wound and reconstructive fields ? is expanding into hair loss treatment.

Industry experts evaluate ECM-based therapy as a next-generation regenerative strategy. While current oral hair loss medications focus on regulating androgen signals or extending the hair growth cycle, the ECM approach improves the actual tissue environment. Unlike conventional treatments, where efficacy may diminish if medication is stopped, there is growing interest in the potential for structural improvement through tissue regeneration.

"Interest in regenerative medicine-based approaches is also expanding in the hair loss treatment market," an L&C Bio representative said. "Based on the ECM technological expertise accumulated in the skin regeneration field, Re2O is presenting new possibilities in the realm of scalp and hair loss treatment.“

Meanwhile, the Korean Society of Aesthetic and Dermatological Surgery plans to hold a symposium on the clinical data and tissue regeneration mechanisms of Re2O for hair loss treatment at its upcoming fall academic conference, where it will also unveil further research findings.