Hair loss has long confounded the pharmaceutical industry, but there’s hope on the horizon. Veradermics has announced success in its late-stage clinical trial with a drug to reverse hair loss.
The biopharmaceutical company has become a leading player in the hair loss field, and its new drug could be a major new development. According to Veradermics, VDPHL01, an orally administered, extended-release minoxidil formulation, has met key points and high goals for its latest trial. Seventy-nine percent of once-daily patients and 86 percent of twice-daily patients reported improvement in hair coverage.
“Dermatology has been treating hair loss with a drug borrowed from cardiology, in a formulation never intended for our patients, at doses we arrived at informally,” said Michael Gold, study trial investigator. “VDPHL01 is the first oral minoxidil formulation developed specifically for pattern hair loss, and now the first to generate positive Phase 3 results of efficacy and safety.”
Veradermics gathered roughly 500 men with mild to moderate hair loss for their double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The study saw hair growth was detectable by month two and a total improvement of between 30 and 33 hairs per square centimeter at month six.
Growing hope
The drug made by Veradermics is an extended-release version of minoxidil, a proven drug treatment that can be readily found over the counter to treat hair loss. Major brands like Hims, Rogaine, and Pfizer have been leading names in the treatment of male pattern baldness. Most of these oral minoxidil tablets, though, come with a warning about cardiovascular issues. Oral tablets can also cause lightheadedness, palpitations, swelling, nausea, and vomiting.
Veradermics noted that if approved, VDPHL01 would become the first FDA-approved non-hormonal oral treatment in the U.S., particularly one without cardiovascular side effects.
“These Phase 2/3 clinical study results support our belief that Veradermics’ novel formulation in VDPHL01 can optimize oral minoxidil for significant hair growth while minimizing side effects and cardiac risk,” said Reid Waldman, chief executive officer of Veradermics. “We are optimistic that these results represent a defining milestone for the hair loss community, our company, and investors as we advance this foundational, non-hormonal treatment approach to the clinic for the millions of people with pattern hair loss.”
—Moses Jeanfrancois
This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com.
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