Daewoong Pharm's investigational hair loss injection may become available next year

[Source: Daewoong Pharmaceutical]

Korean drugmaker Daewoong Pharmaceutical and biotech firm Inventagelab are raising hope for a growing number of patients suffering from hair loss as their joint investigational injectable drug may get on a fast track to market after a successful completion of a Phase 1 clinical trial in Australia last month.

The clinical study of IVL3001, a long-acting injection for male pattern baldness, had been conducted since September last year.

Currently, all treatments available in Korea are in the form of oral dosage, and there are no approved injectable treatments for hair loss.

The clinical study was conducted to compare oral drug Propecia and IVL3001 in Australia, where the investigational drug demonstrated its maintenance of stable blood drug concentration, inhibition of blood DHT (dihydrotestosterone) levels, and tolerability. The oral drug should be taken on a daily basis, but the long-acting injection is given at intervals of 1 to 3 months.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said IVL3001 is designed to overcome the problem of excessive drug release of existing long-acting injections and potential skipping of a Phase 2 study is expected as the Phase 1 includes some Phase 2 endpoints, such as optimal dose comparison. If Phase 3 starts earlier in Korea, a commercial launch could start as early as next year.

The pharmaceutical industry expects that IVL3001 could present a new paradigm in the hair loss treatment market as an injectable has a faster effect than an oral therapy, and it is administered only after a doctor’s consultation, minimizing the risk of side effects due to misuse or abuse.

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