Company tackling male baldness

Stemcelex - A safe and natural hair regrowth treatment

Feb 2010

A St. George’s company is trying to get to the cutting edge of the natural hair growth industry.

Island Laboratories, which has its corporate headquarters in St. George’s, has developed Stemcelex, a “safe and natural hair regrowth treatment.” It has now applied for Health Canada’s approval as a natural health product.

“You have to display safety and efficacy to them, but their most important perspective is it’s safe for people to use,” said Robert Tulk, president of the company.

According to the company’s patent, Stemcelex is: “a system provided for promoting hair growth comprising one or more extracts from a steroidal alkaloid-containing plant selected from a Veratrum plant, a Buxus plant, a Holarrhena plant, a Solarium plant and a Rauwolfia plant ... The system can also be used in reducing hair loss, enhancing or restoring hair colour, increasing the thickness of hair, improving the general appearance of hair, and/or reducing or eliminating dandruff. Methods of promoting the growth of hair are also provided.”

With a global patent registered, Island Laboratories plans to set up corporate offices in Toronto. There’s also interest from China, India, the Middle East and Europe to manufacture and distribute the product, said Tulk.

“You have to compete globally,” he said. “If you can’t rationalize placing manufacturing where you’d like to put it — close to the people of your local communities — then first and foremost you have to survive ...

“If you can’t compete with local manufacturing, you have to look elsewhere.”

The chair of the board of the company is biotechnology company veteran, Lorne Meikle. The 71-year-old Edmonton native has served as chief executive officer for nine biotechnology firms, and is currently president and CEO of Management Dynamics Ltd., a company developing technologies in the biotechnology and water resource areas.

“Attracting people like Lorne Meikle to a project like this adds considerable direction with an experience that’s difficult to find elsewhere and gives it a good credibility boost, as well,” Tulk said. “If you’re trying to explore growth beyond the shores of Newfoundland, you do have to attract these people to your camp.”

Islands Labs formed by Mohammed Alal Khan, a native of India, who is now a Canadian citizen, and Ron Callahan. After Mr. Callahan’s death, his share of the company was passed to his son David Callahan.

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