PP405 for Hair Loss – The Complete Guide 2026

 

 

PP405 is a topical hair loss treatment being developed by Pelage Pharmaceuticals that can potentially help stop hair loss and regrow hair for men experiencing androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

In this article, the doctors at XYON Health weigh in on what PP405 is, what a phase 2a program means in regards to this product, what we still don’t know about PP405, and what options you have now that are already available to help with your hair loss.

 

What is PP405?

PP405 is a topical small-molecule medication being developed by Pelage Pharmaceuticals and being evaluated in clinical trials to treat AGA. It has been described as potentially able to regenerate near-dormant hair follicles making it an exciting potential option for regrowing hair. While all available hair loss solutions can preserve hair that is in early to late stages of hair loss, this product claims to be able to revive follicles that are no longer producing visible hair.

• (Pelage Pharmaceuticals, 2025; Business Wire, 2025; and UCLA Technology Development Group, 2024).

How is PP405 thought to work?

There are no peer reviewed studies published on PP405 yet, so it’s not fully clear how it works. The experimental medicine is thought to work as a mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) driving up lactate and therefore energy levels at the hair follicle via stem cell activation. Higher lactate levels at the hair follicle are thought to drive the anagen or growth phase, which switches the hair follicle from being dormant into an active state again.

These studies do not prove PP405 works; they are early indicators of potential promise. The studies do support the idea that manipulating metabolism and stress-response signaling can influence human hair follicle biology for the better.

• (Flores et al., 2017; and Pye et al., 2024).

Is PP405 available? Where can I buy PP405?

As of February 18, 2026, PP405 is not FDA approved and cannot be purchased anywhere. If you see PP405 for sale online, treat it as a major red flag and report it to the FDA.

You can read more about the current testing on PP405 here in this case study.

• (CenterWatch, 2025).

What do we know from the Phase 2a program?

Pelage has provided up to date information on their current rounds of clinical testing.

The Phase 2a program has been presented in Pelage communications and covered by multiple trade outlets. The key publicly reported design elements include a randomized, placebo-controlled portion focusing on safety and pharmacokinetics (PK), with an extension period to assess longer-term signals.

The reported outcomes vary by source. Here are the publicly available summaries that describe the Phase 2a testing.

• (Business Wire, 2025; Pelage Pharmaceuticals, 2025; Drug Topics, 2025; Dermatology Times, 2025; and Drug Discovery News, 2026).

Dormant vs. dead follicles: why the biology matters

A lot of marketing language about reviving dead follicles is incorrect. In AGA, follicles miniaturize over time. Some stem-cell populations can still be present in a bald scalp, so while it appears fully gone, the hair follicle is actually still there and in many instances, can still be saved. So PP405 may be able to work when the hair seems gone, but isn’t quite all gone. Like with other active ingredients used to treat AGA, it is probable that our best hopes for getting that “absent” hair back would be to use PP405 as early as possible.

• (Garza et al., 2011).

PP405 vs. proven options: finasteride, dutasteride, minoxidil

Even if PP405 becomes an option for stopping hair loss or growing hair from dormant follicles, the strongest evidence today still sits with DHT suppression and growth-phase support (stopping the problem early while the follicle can still produce hair) especially for people with actively thinning hair.

Finasteride has decades of studies, and related side effects are well known. Dutasteride is another great option with lots of data to support how it addresses hair loss caused by AGA, and minoxidil is available over the counter in topical form because it’s been tested so extensively. PP405 may become another option in the future, but you might still be better suited to taking one of the available medications to stop your hair loss.

• (Kaufman et al., 1998; Olsen et al., 2002; Gubelin Harcha et al., 2014; and Piraccini et al., 2022).

Safety: what we know, what we don’t

The biggest unknown for PP405 is the side effect profile. The drug is still early in its testing phase, so we don’t know what the long-term side effects could be, are the effects delayed, how often do users experience side effects, does age matter, and do the side effects go away once you stop taking PP405. While it’s exciting to think there won’t be any issues, there is still a lot of testing to do, and the long-term side effects will not be known for many years which is why users may still want to decide on the available options like minoxidil, finasteride or dutasteride.

• (Lee et al., 2019).

Should you wait for PP405?

If you’re losing your hair, the sooner you start trying to save it, the better your chances are. If you’re interested in PP405 you can always switch once it’s available, but you should start taking an available medication now to preserve your hair. Switching medications can be a great option if you find one isn’t effective, the main takeaway on this is to do what you can to keep the follicle in its anagen phase rather than waiting and letting it go completely dormant.

 

Dr. Simon Pimstone, MD PhD FRCPC

Physician-Scientist; Founder, Director, and Chief Executive Officer
XYON: Founder, Director, and CEO

Education
Doctorate of Medicine (MD) — University of Cape Town, South Africa — 1991
Genetics (PhD) — University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands — 1998
Internal Medicine (Postgraduate Fellowship) — University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada — 2001

Academic & Clinical Appointments
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine — University of British Columbia
Associate Member, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine — University of British Columbia
Faculty — Providence Health Care Heart and Lung Institute

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PP405 FAQ

What is PP405?

PP405 is a topical investigational small-molecule being developed for androgenetic alopecia. It is not an approved medication and remains under clinical evaluation.

Is PP405 available in the USA or Canada?

No. PP405 is not commercially available in any country. The only legitimate route is participation in an official clinical trial.

When will PP405 be available?

Pelage stated plans to advance PP405 into Phase 3 in 2026. Even with a smooth Phase 3, regulatory review and manufacturing scale-up typically mean availability is still measured in years—not months. Assuming Phase 3 clinical trials start in 2026, it is likely that PP405 won’t come to the market before 2028 or 2029.

Where can I buy PP405? / Where to buy PP405?

You should not buy PP405 online. Products marketed as PP405 outside trials are unregulated and may be unsafe, mislabeled, or contaminated.

How do I get PP405?

If you want access, look for legitimate trial enrollment opportunities through official trial registries and reputable clinical research networks.

Does PP405 regrow hair in bald areas?

Hair regrowth has been reported in clinical studies, but without full peer-reviewed datasets, it’s not possible to quantify who benefits, how durable results are, or how results compare to established therapies.

Will PP405 replace finasteride or minoxidil?

Even if PP405 becomes available, it may end up being additive rather than a replacement. Many patients will still benefit from DHT suppression (to slow miniaturization) and/or minoxidil (to support growth cycling).

References

1. Pelage Pharmaceuticals. (2025, June 17). Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Phase 2a Clinical Trial Results for PP405 in Regenerative Hair Loss Therapy [Press release]. Pelage Pharmaceuticals.
2. Business Wire. (2025, June 17). Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Phase 2a Clinical Trial Results for PP405 in Regenerative Hair Loss Therapy [Press release]. Business Wire.
3. CenterWatch. (2025, December 9). Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of PP405 in Adults With AGA (NCT06393452) [Clinical trial listing]. CenterWatch.
4. UCLA Technology Development Group. (2024, August 19). Pelage Pharmaceuticals Advances Clinical Program with First Patients Dosed in Phase 2 Study for Hair Loss [News release]. UCLA TDG.
5. Meara, K. (2025, June 17). Hair Loss Therapy Shows Potential for Regeneration in Phase 2 Trial [News article]. Drug Topics.
6. Meara, K. (2025, June 23). Pelage’s PP405 Demonstrates Efficacy in Phase 2a Trial for Androgenetic Alopecia [News article]. Dermatology Times.
7. Foster, B. (2026, January 27). Can hair loss be the next GLP-1 moment? [Feature article]. Drug Discovery News.
8. Flores, A., Schell, J., Krall, A. S., Jelinek, D., Miranda, M., Grigorian, M., et al. (2017). Lactate dehydrogenase activity drives hair follicle stem cell activation. Nature Cell Biology, 19(9), 1017–1026. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb3575. PubMed PMID: 28812580.
9. Garza, L. A., Yang, C.-C., Zhao, T., Blatt, H. B., Lee, M., He, H., et al. (2011). Bald scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia retains hair follicle stem cells but lacks CD200-rich and CD34-positive hair follicle progenitor cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 121(2), 613–622. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI44478. PubMed PMID: 21206086.
10. Pye, D., Scholey, R., Ung, S., Dawson, M., Shahmalak, A., & Purba, T. S. (2024). Activation of the integrated stress response in human hair follicles. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0303742. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303742. PubMed PMID: 38900734.
11. Kaufman, K. D., Olsen, E. A., Whiting, D., Savin, R., DeVillez, R., Bergfeld, W., et al. (1998). Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride Male Pattern Hair Loss Study Group. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 39(4 Pt 1), 578–589. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(98)70007-6. PubMed PMID: 9777765.
12. Olsen, E. A., Dunlap, F. E., Funicella, T., Koperski, J. A., Swinehart, J. M., Tschen, E. H., & Trancik, R. J. (2002). A randomized clinical trial of 5% topical minoxidil versus 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 47(3), 377–385. https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.124088. PubMed PMID: 12196747.
13. Gubelin Harcha, W., Barboza Martínez, J., Tsai, T.-F., Katsuoka, K., Kawashima, M., Tsuboi, R., et al. (2014). A randomized, active- and placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of different doses of dutasteride versus placebo and finasteride in the treatment of male subjects with androgenetic alopecia. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 70(3), 489–498.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2013.10.049. PubMed PMID: 24411083.
14. Piraccini, B. M., Blume-Peytavi, U., Scarci, F., Jansat, J. M., Falqués, M., Otero, R., et al. (2022). Efficacy and safety of topical finasteride spray solution for male androgenetic alopecia: A phase III, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 36(2), 286–294. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.17738. PubMed PMID: 34634163.
15. Lee, S., Lee, Y. B., Choe, S. J., & Lee, W.-S. (2019). Adverse sexual effects of treatment with finasteride or dutasteride for male androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 99(1), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3035. PubMed PMID: 30206635.
16. Garza LA, et al. Bald scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia retains hair follicle stem cells but lacks progenitor cells. J Clin Invest. 2011;121(2):613-622. PMID: 21206086 (DOI: 10.1172/JCI44478). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21206086/