Japan Trials Tooth Regrowth Drug for Humans
Drug targeting USAG-1 gene may regrow teeth by 2030.
A 2021 study in Scientific Reports showed a drug blocking the USAG-1 gene protein enabled tooth regrowth in mice.
Led by Katsu Takahashi at Kitano Hospital, Osaka, the team launched a human clinical trial in 2025 to treat anodontia, affecting 1% of people with incomplete teeth sets.
Humans have a third set of tooth buds, as seen in hyperdontia cases.
The drug aims to activate these buds, offering a new option beyond dentures and implants by 2030.