Researchers in Japan have created new vitamin K compounds that are three times more effective than natural forms at turning stem cells into neurons. The work, published in 2025, targets diseases that destroy brain cells such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Associate Professor Yoshihisa Hirota and Professor Yoshitomo Suhara led the team at Shibaura Institute of Technology. They combined vitamin K with elements of vitamin A to produce 12 hybrid molecules. One compound, called Novel VK, stood out in tests on mouse neural progenitor cells for its strong ability to promote neuronal growth.
