What are your thoughts on UCLA PP405? Do you think it is promising?

[papasmurfwashere]

This article is a long read, so you can skip to the end for the conclusion. In short, these aren't the droids you're looking for. Link is broken

htt ps:/ /medium.com/ @hairypapasmurf/pp405-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-415cbef50894

 

[jondoeuk]

From Kintor Pharma: ''KT-215 is a topical MPC inhibitor under development by the Company. It activates hair follicle stem cells for Androgenetic Alopecia treatment. The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Studies have shown that when MPC is inhibited by drugs, pyruvate in the cytoplasm cannot enter the mitochondria, thereby increasing LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) activity and activating hair follicle stem cells, ultimately promoting hair growth. MPC has currently been proven to be a highly promising therapeutic target in the field of hair loss. The MPC inhibitor has identified a preclinical candidate compound (PCC) and preclinical research is currently underway for the treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia.''

 

[jondoeuk]

Pelage sent out an email: ''We are excited to provide a brief update on the clinical trials you signed up to hear about through our registry for androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss).

Male study

The AWAKEN clinical trial for men with androgenetic alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia) is on track to launch this fall. Once the study is live, if you are located in one of the geographies where it’s recruiting, we will reach out directly with next steps, including how to see if you may be eligible to enroll.'' https://pelagepharma.com/

 

[Modill]

This is the most interesting product in decades. It doesn’t mess with hormones or testosterone, and it revives dead/dormant hair follicles without surgery.

It’s so promising that two different companies are developing different molecules based on the same mechanism of action.

The only issue I see is the usual one: if this compound enters the bloodstream and affects mitochondria throughout the body, we could be looking at some serious side effects.

 

[jondoeuk]

Triple Hair (Canada) began Phase 3 clinical trials for its Therapy-07 (THO7) topical in Vancouver, Canada, It contains minoxidil, finasteride and latanoprost. This product is already available for sale via prescription.

However, in August, Triple Hair released an updated pipeline on its Instagram. It says that the company was working on an MPC inhibitor called TH65 to treat Androgenetic Alopecia.

 

[Modill]

I found another company working on new MPC inhibitor. In total we have 5 companies doing this:

Pelage → PP405
Kintor → KT-215
Triple Hair → TH65
Shanghai Institute → SIPI11594 + otras series MPC

Interesting

 

[MrJolly26]

And who´s ahead in the game right now?

Still waiting, though 2026 is about to end in no time.

Hopefully 2027 will be a much better year with regard to news and new information about possible treatments.

 

[Modill]

And who´s ahead in the game right now?

Still waiting, though 2026 is about to end in no time.

Hopefully 2027 will be a much better year with regard to news and new information about possible treatments.

Pelage is starting phase 3. In 2027-2028 they will release it.
In fact, they are recruiting people if you want to join the study: https://pelagepp405.com/

 

[jondoeuk]

New PP405 Phase 2/3 https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07819435

• Estimated start date of Sept 2026.
• Primary completion date of Dec 2027.
• Estimated enrolment of 600.
• All the locations are yet to be declared.
• Among the inclusion criteria, the one that stands out is: ''Have a modified Norwood-Hamilton score of Type IV or Type V.''
• Unfortunately, only men 18-55 years old with Androgenetic Alopecia are allowed to participate.
• PP405 will be applied as a topical gel.

Interestingly, half of the vehicle (placebo) group will get put on PP405 during the second half of the 52-week trial. So just 150 of the 600 participants will never get treated with PP405.

''Participants will be randomized (1:1) on Day 1 to one of the following two treatment sequences:
PP405 from Day 1 to Week 24; then continuing PP405 from Week 24 to Week 52.
Vehicle from Day 1 to Week 24; then re-randomized 1:1 to either PP405 or vehicle from Week 24 to Week 52''

 

[papasmurfwashere]

No active comparator? No group taking both minoxidil and PP405? They must think their drug will not provide additive benefit over minoxidil and won't beat it head-to-head. Allergan tested their drug against minoxidil in phase 2.

 

[Jakejr]

I couldn't find a discussion on it. I'm

I couldn't find a discussion on it. I'm on the edge of doing a transplant. Debating if it is worth waiting 5 years for this to be FDA approved.

on the edge of doing a transplant. Debating if it is worth waiting 5 years for this to be FDA approved.

Hi
You can buy PP405 or the exact original ingredient now.. I have two small 30 ml bottles already mixed.. The UCLA study uses a gel.. So Pelage says it’s not exactly the same.. It is except for their process..
As I study this I don’t think Pelage is going to go ahead with 3rd round of clinical studies because the “molecule” they use can’t be patented .. it’s already available.. What they did is happen to study it & noticed hair growth.. Upjohn developed minoxidil so they could patent it.. Pelage didn’t..

 

[papasmurfwashere]

Hi
You can buy PP405 or the exact original ingredient now.. I have two small 30 ml bottles already mixed.. The UCLA study uses a gel.. So Pelage says it’s not exactly the same.. It is except for their process..
As I study this I don’t think Pelage is going to go ahead with 3rd round of clinical studies because the “molecule” they use can’t be patented .. it’s already available.. What they did is happen to study it & noticed hair growth.. Upjohn developed minoxidil so they could patent it.. Pelage didn’t..

Pelage did develop and patent PP405. That doesn't stop people from selling it on the gray market until stops them if they are operating in the US. See retatrutide. Phase 3 recruitment is already starting.

 

[Modill]

Hi
You can buy PP405 or the exact original ingredient now.. I have two small 30 ml bottles already mixed.. The UCLA study uses a gel.. So Pelage says it’s not exactly the same.. It is except for their process..
As I study this I don’t think Pelage is going to go ahead with 3rd round of clinical studies because the “molecule” they use can’t be patented .. it’s already available.. What they did is happen to study it & noticed hair growth.. Upjohn developed minoxidil so they could patent it.. Pelage didn’t..

I don’t know where you’ve studied this “so much,” because everything you’re saying is incorrect.

First of all, the scientists who discovered the JXL069 molecule about 5 years ago did patent it, and then they founded Pelage to develop it as PP405. Google Ventures has invested a huge amount of money in the project, and this month they are starting a clinical trial with more than 600 people that will certainly cost several million dollars.

That’s not what concerns me. What concerns me is what will happen if this molecule enters the bloodstream and starts acting on the mitochondria throughout our body. Obviously, the side effects after 5 years could be much worse than after 2 months. And this is the main issue: the scalp is highly vascularized, and there is a possibility that some of the compound will enter the bloodstream.

 

[papasmurfwashere]

I don’t know where you’ve studied this “so much,” because everything you’re saying is incorrect.

First of all, the scientists who discovered the JXL069 molecule about 5 years ago did patent it, and then they founded Pelage to develop it as PP405. Google Ventures has invested a huge amount of money in the project, and this month they are starting a clinical trial with more than 600 people that will certainly cost several million dollars.

That’s not what concerns me. What concerns me is what will happen if this molecule enters the bloodstream and starts acting on the mitochondria throughout our body. Obviously, the side effects after 5 years could be much worse than after 2 months. And this is the main issue: the scalp is highly vascularized, and there is a possibility that some of the compound will enter the bloodstream.

You're forgetting the main concern. Does the drug even target Androgenetic Alopecia pathogenesis? In short, it does not.

 

[jondoeuk]

I don’t know where you’ve studied this “so much,” because everything you’re saying is incorrect.

First of all, the scientists who discovered the JXL069 molecule about 5 years ago did patent it, and then they founded Pelage to develop it as PP405. Google Ventures has invested a huge amount of money in the project, and this month they are starting a clinical trial with more than 600 people that will certainly cost several million dollars.

That’s not what concerns me. What concerns me is what will happen if this molecule enters the bloodstream and starts acting on the mitochondria throughout our body. Obviously, the side effects after 5 years could be much worse than after 2 months. And this is the main issue: the scalp is highly vascularized, and there is a possibility that some of the compound will enter the bloodstream.

''The study met its primary safety endpoint and secondary pharmacokinetic endpoint: the drug was well tolerated with no systemic absorption of PP405 detected in the blood, underscoring a robust safety profile.'' https://pelagepharma.com/press-rele...-for-pp405-in-regenerative-hair-loss-therapy/

''The data informed Pelage’s Phase 1 clinical trial that concluded in January 2024, which demonstrated that PP405 was safe and well-tolerated, with the target pharmacokinetic profile achieved.'' https://pelagepharma.com/press-rele...-cells-ex-vivo-and-in-phase-1-clinical-study/