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PP405

A topical that tries to wake dormant follicles by changing how their stem cells burn fuel.

Phase 2TopicalMetabolic / mitochondrial
Developed by
Pelage Pharmaceuticals
Current phase
Phase 2

Tests whether it works, at what dose, in a few hundred people.

Indications
Androgenetic alopecia, Female pattern hair loss
Also known as
PP-405, suvomipic
Last public activity
December 2025
Record confidence
High

How it is meant to work

PP405 inhibits the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC). Blocking it pushes hair follicle stem cells toward glycolysis, a metabolic state associated with the active growth phase. The claim is that this reactivates follicles that have gone dormant, rather than merely extending the growth phase of follicles still working — which is what minoxidil and finasteride do.

Why it matters

The most-watched programme in the field, for two reasons. The company reported that 31% of treated participants showed a greater than 20% increase in hair density at week eight, against 0% on placebo — read that with the caveats it deserves: 78 participants, four weeks of dosing, and a trial whose primary endpoint was safety, not efficacy. Then, in October 2025, a $120M Series B co-led by ARCH Venture Partners and GV. Serious capital is rare in hair loss and separates this from most of the register. Phase 3 is planned for 2026, so availability is years out, not months.

Development history

  1. Phase 2

    First Phase 2 trial on record: NCT06393452 — Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of PP405 in Adults With AGA

    ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Registered trials

Pulled automatically from ClinicalTrials.gov. Matching is by name and development code, so occasional gaps are possible — tell us if you spot one.

  • NCT06393452Phase 2COMPLETED

    Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of PP405 in Adults With AGA

    Pelage Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · n=78 · June 2024

Listing a trial is not a recommendation to join one. Eligibility, risks and costs vary enormously — discuss any trial with your own doctor first.

Sources