Biologist Maksim Plikus, a professor of developmental and cell biology at UC Irvine, co-founded Amplifica to develop hair-loss treatments. His company recently announced promising results from the first human trial of an injectable treatment, AMP-303, in September 2024. This development follows years of research and local support.
Plikus arrived at UC Irvine in 2012, drawn by the university's skin biology team. His work led to the identification of osteopontin, a molecule used by specific pigment-making cells to activate hair follicles. Recognizing the commercial potential for hereditary hair loss treatments, Plikus credited Irvine's "sturdy ecosystem of support for innovators" for guiding Amplifica through the early stages of development, which industry insiders refer to as “the valley of death.”
UC Irvine's Beall Applied Innovation plays a key role in this ecosystem. It collaborates with researchers and industry to commercialize discoveries. Beall Applied Innovation awarded Plikus a $100,000 Proof of Product grant in 2018, the same year he co-founded Amplifica. Ryan Mahar, a Beall spokesperson, stated the organization serves as the “central hub” connecting campus research with local businesses and investors, building the future workforce.
Beall also provides facilities such as The Cove, a three-story, 100,000-square-foot startup center within UCI Research Park. The Cove offers offices, workstations, and conference rooms, including a wet lab for early-stage life-sciences products. This lab is run by University Lab Partners, a privately funded incubator.
Other Irvine-based innovations demonstrate the strength of this support. Stryker acquired Inari Medical, which emerged from a local medical-device incubator, for $4.9 billion last year. FirstElement Fuel, founded by UC Irvine alumni Shane Stephens and Tim Brown, has raised over $105 million and operates 40 True Zero hydrogen fueling stations across California. UC Irvine professor Michelle Khine has launched six biomedical startups from her lab, including Makani Science, which produces wireless, wearable breathing monitors. Research by Professor Juhasz also led to the launch of Irvine-based ViaLase.
Amplifica raised nearly $12 million four years after its founding to begin clinical development of its product candidates. The September 2024 trial results indicated AMP-303 is safe, tolerable, and shows potential to address hair loss after a single application. The company plans a new round of human trials and further discussions with the Food and Drug Administration. Plikus noted the importance of Irvine's talent network, which helped him connect with biopharmaceutical executive Wajdie Ahmad and hair transplant expert William Rassman, both now company officers.
