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• ProCyte Awared New Patents on Copper Peptide Technology and Going Mass Market With Neutrogena

• HairSite Editorial

• 5/30/00

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Copper peptide hair care products have been around for several years already. Recently, another patent has been issued to ProCyte covering stimulation of hair growth by peptide copper complexes. ProCyte is a healthcare company that specializes in products for tissue repair, skin and hair care. It owns more copper peptide related patents than any other companies in the world. Specifically, most of the patents address the effectiveness of copper peptide related compounds in treating androgenetic alopecia (eg: male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness), alopecia areata, and chemotherapy related hair loss.

Patent # 6,017,888 - Stimulation of hair growth by peptide copper complexes. The biggest difference this patent has compared to the earlier ones is that it addresses peptide copper "complexes", which usually means a peptide having at least two amino acids or amino acids derivatives, one of which being histidine, arginine or a related derivative. The amino acids or amino acid derivatives could be, but not limited to, any of the following:

• Alanine
  Arginine
  Asparagine
  Aspartic Acid
  Cysteine
  Glutamine
  Glutaminc acid
  Glycine
  Histidine
  Lysine
  Methionine
  Phenylalanine
  Proline
  Serine
  Threonine
  Tryptophan
  Tyrosine
  Valine
  

Incidentally, a lot of the above-mentioned amino acids are also agents that people use as HGH (human growth hormone) precusors or HGH dietary supplements. We have already discussed earlier in our Library how HGH can promote hair growth under some circumstances. It does appear that this patent is drawing on the synergies between amino acids and copper peptides, each by itself has proven hair growing properties.

The following is excerpted from the report filed with the U.S Paten Office:
"...the...invention is directed to peptide-copper complexes...for stimulating the growth of hair....stimulates hair growth associated with a hair-loss afflications (such as male pattern baldness) or caused by a hair-loss insult (such as radiation or chemotherapy). Administration ...preferably by topical application...directly to the area where stimulation of hair growth is desired."

The filing specifically indicated that copper peptide complex can also stop or slow down the speed at which hair loss is progressing. In addition, the agent can be used as a preventive treatment for patients who will be going through chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It implies that the complex is recommended even for people who are not currently losing their hair.

Various delivery mechanisms have been presented in the report, including the use of water, physiological saline, bacteriostatic saline, petrolatum based creams, pharmaceutical grade gels, alcohols and glycols (eg: ethyl alcohol and propylene glycol), and even liposomes. In almost all instances, peptide copper complexes exhibit satisfactory to superior penetration when applied topically.

Prior to this patent, ProCyte also received patents for the following:

• Patent # 5,550,183 - Metal-Peptide compositions and methods for stimulating hair growth.

• Patent # 5,252,559 - His-Gly-Gly peptide and derivatives thereof for hair growth.

• Patent # 5,177,061 - Method for stimulating hair growth using GHL-CU complexes.

Not long after receiving the latest patent for its copper-peptide complexes technology, ProCyte entered into a major worldwide licensing agreement with hair   and skin care products giant Neutrogena, a Johnson & Johnson company. Under the agreement, ProCyte will grant Neutrogena long term use of the patented  copper peptide complexes technology in Neutrogena's product lines.  This is the first ever effort to make copper peptide technology available to the mass market. Up until now, copper peptide formulated hair and skin products are only available cosmaceutical boutiques such as Dr. Pickart's Skin Biology Inc.

If you have trouble locating copper-peptide formulated hair and skin products, please email HairSite@aol.com

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