CATSKL™ May Eliminate Cause of Gray Hair

Detroit—EXT Life Sciences Inc. (EXT), a biotechnology start-up company spin-off from Wayne State University that develops proprietary, targeted antioxidant treatments to slow the aging process, developed cell-penetrating catalase derivative that eliminates the fundamental cause of graying hair. EXT’s new compound is called CATSKL™.

EXT co-founder Stanley R. Terlecky, Ph.D., a pharmacology professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and a leading authority on the enzyme catalase, said EXT’s discovery and extensive research on targeted antioxidants present a platform for anti-aging products of the future, including shampoos to keep hair from turning gray and creams to keep skin smooth, by counteracting the natural oxidant damage that occurs with the aging process.

“The preservation of good health and youthful appearance well into old age is critical to the EXT mission. Given the dramatic growth of an aging global population, our research presents a transformative development for society while also introducing business opportunities for the cosmeceutical and medical fields,” said Dr. Terlecky.

CATSKL is a targeted catalase technology that reintroduces the enzyme into peroxisomes of aged cells to reestablish the balance of pro and anti-oxidants and has already earned patent protection in several countries. Research by Dr. Terlecky and colleagues points to the importance of this equilibrium in thwarting the progression of certain aging parameters and implications for the cells of aging hair follicles—where the first visible sign of aging deterioration occurs (as gray hair), as well as in cells corrupted by diseases associated with the aging process, including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

In a recently published scientific report, researchers at England’s University of Bradford discovered why hair turns gray as it ages. According to the study, hydrogen peroxide accumulates and "bleaches" hair due to the age-related absence of catalase. Specifically, amassed and highly destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS), often referred to as free radicals or oxidants, damage melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, because the responsible enzyme, tyrosinase, is inactivated by the high levels of hydrogen peroxide. Dr. Terlecky said EXT’S research takes the Bradford study further.

“EXT not only understands the process that turns hair gray but offers a potentially powerful antidote. Through our research, we have shown that CATSKL overcomes the catalase deficiency in a variety of human cell types, including those of the skin, scalp and hair follicles,” affirmed Dr. Terlecky. “We are ahead of the game in terms of nearing the point where we can act on our research and take a product to market.”

www.EXTlifesciences.com

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