How Would New Products for Hair Loss Work?

Dr. R,

First off i want to say what a great site you have created. With all the nonsense out there on the internet, your site differentiates itself as being very informative and a trusted source for MPB.

A recent post said you were aware of two new drugs that are in the works to combat MPB. I understand there is a confidentiality issue, but is there any insight you can give as to how the product works and a possible viable timeline? I am aware of the length of drug approval from the FDA (5-10 years is your estimation) but a new product has not been released since 1997. Nearly a decade later and there doesn’t seem to be any progress which concerns me greatly. I am sure these drug manufacturers are aware of the multi billion dollar market there is yearly in the fight against MPB. If for nothing more than to make money, shouldn’t these companies be attacking the market as aggressively as possible? Those are just a few thoughts. Please get back.

Regards

The answers to your questions are almost impossible for me to relate them to you. On one of the drugs, the effect was found as a side effect of its use for treating another disease. Once they found that the same medication grew hair, they move it into a topical and speculated on mechanisms of action (looking for the science). One of the drugs is already in a clinical trial in another country and early indications have shown great results. The researchers told me that there were a few hundred people put into a double blind study and although they did not know who was on the topical medication and who was on the placebo, they did note that half of the people who were coming back for hair counts had good hair growth while others had none. They assumed (probably correctly) that what they were looking at was a remarkably strong hair growing medication. Until the study is complete, we will not know for sure, but the entire science will have to be understood and toxicology studies will have to be in hand in thousands of patients before the United States FDA will allow the drug come to market. Sorry, that is all I can say. Coming to market: A few years at the least, I would suspect.

It is interesting that minoxidil was first used as a medication for high blood pressure. It worked poorly and without consistency for blood pressure control but did grow hair on many men and women who took it systemically. As the drug already had some safety and other toxicology data, the move to a topical for hair loss was a bit easier. Propecia was originally used for men who had urination problems, but when taken for the prostate, some men grew hair. Again, another discovery by serendipity. Could you imagine what we would get if we found out about drugs by intent rather than serendipity?