For Hair Loss Treatments, Is There A New Dawn? – Part 1

Hair Loss Treatments Currently 

In twenty years, there hasn’t been a new hair loss dug approved. Getting tantalisingly close to the breakthrough that is hoped for by many patients in several European companies hot on the case. 

Psychiatrists have increasingly linked the onset of male and female pattern baldness to mental health conditions ranging from anxiety to even depression with body dysmorphia magnified by the omnipresent digital world. 

Cosmetic surgery has looked to ease the burden over the past decade. The only drugs approved by regulators are minoxidil and Propecia both of which are only marginally effective at halting hair loss, and the former is the only treatment available to women where preventive treatments are scarce. Whereas the exceeding of €23B ($24.8B) is predicted thereby as 2024 is the value of the global hair transplant industry. 

As they can be costly and sometimes painful, however, hair transplants are no panacea. A series of European biotech view this as an opportunity, as a consequence there is a huge market for any new product that can effectively halt pattern baldness in its tracks. Some of which may go on to become the first novel drug treatments for baldness in twenty years, buoyed by several research breakthroughs regarding the science behind hair growth, several biotechs have products in late-stage clinical trials. 

Jan Alenfall, CEO of Follicum, Swedish biotech being a leading candidate in hair loss treatment is currently in phase II of their clinical trials says that huge is the number of patients waiting for a new treatment option. 

It is also associated with infections as transplantation is an invasive method. Since the process of hair loss generally continues, besides, many patients tend to require more than one transplant. Generating a lot of interest is recently a lot of high-quality research from several academic groups. 

Revisiting Topical Therapies

Inspiring Follicum’s development of its lead candidate drug was a research breakthrough. Scientists at Lund University, Sweden discovered that a variant of the protein osteopontin a naturally occurring molecule in our bodies could increase hair growth in mice while studying treatments for arteriosclerosis which is a thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries that often occurs in old age. 

Accelerating the hair cycle from resting to growth phases, subsequent studies found that this protein variant has a very specific target on hair follicle cells. Encouraging them to start producing cosmetically visible hairs again, allows it to stimulate dormant hair follicles. 

In which patients reported increased hair density, so far, Follicum has tested it in an injectable form in two clinical trials both lasting three months. About to get underway with results expected later in 2020, a new phase II trial testing a topical cream like the version of the product is thought to be more convenient for patients. 

Which binds to follicles and shrinks them until they no longer produce visible hair, the reason why pattern baldness occurs is that hair follicles become sensitive to hormones on the scalp most notably dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Italian biotech Cassiopea is developing its own topical product Breezula as a result. Based on a mechanism of action discovered through studying the hormone’s role in acne development, this treatment directly blocks the negative effect of DHT on the scalp. 

Diana Harbort, CEO of Cassiopea, was explaining, slowing down the hair loss or stopping it, their drug antagonises the negative effect of DHT around the follicle. They start producing hair again as those follicles that aren’t completely shut down due to DHT. 

Breezula could become the first new treatment for male pattern baldness in the coming years with investors already forecasting potential sales figures in the region of €350M, having already completed phase II trial planned for 2020. 

Summing Up The Discussion For Now…

These are possible treatments. More of them are explained in the following part. Just because it is seen more in males, it doesn’t mean females are avoided. The condition is also seen to be occurring on female hair also. So, when you are going to the doctor make sure he diagnoses the right condition by prescribing the right medication. For more expert advise always go to a dermatologist. With experience, they can diagnose what is the best way of treatment. 

As we sign off now, we promise to bring in more help for your receding hairline. Options are many when it comes to treating baldness so don’t worry. Always remember you have to take care of your hair just as any other part of the body.