Update: January 4, 2026

Absci is publishing numerous new videos on its YouTube channel. All of them are very encouraging so far.

Also check out the company’s detailed presentation on ABS-201 from the end of 2025.

Absci (US) is an artificial intelligence (AI) drug and biologic creation company that is developing novel treatments via the use generative AI. One of the key products that they are focusing on is a prolactin receptor (PRLR) targeting injection based hair growth treatment called ABS-201. Phase 1 clinical trials for this product began in Australia at Sinclair Dermatology in December 2025. Note that Hope Medicine (China)’s Phase 1 clinical trials for its prolactin receptor blocking HMI-115 injections also occurred at Sinclair Dermatology in 2022. Hope Medicine later completed Phase 2 trials in China in 2025. The top half of this post is all new updates.

Update: December 11, 2025

ABS-201 Regenerates Hair Stem Cells and Promotes Key Growth Modulators

Absci today unveiled new preclinical data for ABS-201. The data was generated using translational human ex vivo scalp models. It demonstrated that ABS-201 stimulates hair growth by regenerating the stem cell niche as well as by promoting additional key growth modulators. The studies were led by Dr. Ralf Paus, who says:

“Our study provides the first evidence that antagonizing prolactin signaling with ABS-201 could open a radically new chapter in future AGA management.”

Among the key findings:

• ABS-201 significantly inhibits the PRLR signaling pathway.
• ABS-201 prolongs the anagen phase by blocking catagen, and promoting hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation.
• In addition, it increases the production of the hair growth-stimulatory growth factors IGF1 and FGF7.
• ABS-201 protects and expands the hair follicle progenitor cell pool. It inhibits prolactin-induced apoptosis of K15+ stem cells , and increases their proliferation and capacity to generate CD34+ progeny. This is crucial, since the depletion of progenitor cells is a key hallmark of androgenetic alopecia.
• It facilitates the reconversion of vellus hairs to terminal hairs.

Also of interest, long-time hair loss sufferer and former US soccer superstar Landon Donovan has teamed up with Absci. Way out of leftfield.

Update: December 4, 2025

Absci just announced that the first volunteers have been dosed in their Phase 1/2a HEADLINE study evaluating ABS-201. Absci will host a virtual KOL seminar on Thursday December 11 to discuss further details about this drug and its clinical trials.

Also check out this great detailed interview of Absci founder and CEO Sean McClain with ARK Invest’s legendary Cathie Wood.

Update: October 20, 2025

Absci to Begin Phase 1 Clinical Trials for ABS-201 in December 2025

In a new article about Absci’s ABS-201 hair growth injections that target the prolactin receptor, it is mentioned that Phase 1 clinical trials will begin in Australia in December 2025. The renowned Dr. Rodney Sinclair will oversee the trials at his Sinclair Dermatology clinic. Interestingly, Hope Medicine’s Phase 1 clinical trials for its prolactin receptor blocking HMI-115 injections also occurred in Australia at Sinclair Dermatology in 2022.

Of note, the Absci research team believes that ABS-201 could also cure premature greying by re-pigmenting the hair. This is based on their pre-clincial work on macaques, in which the animals’ hair reverted back from grey to black.

Key quote regarding Absci’s use of AI to develop this product:

“Using AI to develop the needle itself (in this case, the perfect antibody sequence) researchers were able to discover key antibody binding regions that could precisely target the prolactin receptor, thus ceasing hair loss. Using computer simulations, Absci was able to optimize certain drug qualities, including increased potency and decreased likelihood of negative immune response.”

Update: July 2025

The CEO of Absci posted the below Tweet recently. The before and after macaque monkey image in there seems identical to the image from Hope Medicine’s HMI-115 and its effect on macaques. Strange. The same image can also be seen in their 2024 R&D document. Both HMI-115 and Absci’s ABS-201 target the prolactin receptor to regrow hair. Hope Medicine has already completed Phase 2 clinical trials, while Absci is yet to commence any human trials.

April 6, 2025

Absci is a data-first artificial intelligence drug and biologic creation company that is unlocking novel treatments through the use generative AI. Most interestingly, one of the key products that they are focusing on is a hair growth treatment called ABS-201 that targets the prolactin receptor.

I first heard about the company in January 2025 when Absci received a $20 million investment from chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Unlike virtually all new entrants in the hair loss world, Absci has a great website. However, it should be noted that the company originally started operations way back in 2011, under the auspices of founder and CEO Sean McClain.

In March 2025, Absci presented on the subject of AI in dermatology at the Dermatology Innovation Forum. On a related note, in 2022, I wrote a post on AI and machine learning for hair loss drug discovery.

Absci Presentation on ABS-201

Considering that Absci’s pipeline page shows that ABS-201 is yet to even enter Phase 1 clinical trials, I was reluctant to write this post. However a new video presentation (embedded below) that the company uploaded in February 2025 changed my mind. It is titled “Absci R&D Day 2024”. The portion devoted to ABS-201 and hair loss starts at 1:19:40 and lasts for over an hour.

Also check out the company’s case study page on ANS-201. Interestingly, in the notes to the key mechanism of action diagram, they mention that ABS-201 also has the potential to restore hair pigmentation.

Absci currently has over 77,000 square feet of space between:

• A state-of-the-art wet lab in Vancouver WA (US).
• An advanced AI research lab in New York City (US).
• A drug innovation center in Zug (Switzerland).

The company plans to begin Phase 1 clinical trials for ABS-201 in the first half of 2026. Their preclinical model demonstrated improved hair regrowth in comparison to minoxidil.

Absci ABS-201 versus Hope Medicine HMI-115

Note that Absci’s AI-developed ABS-201 is similar to Hope Medicine’s HMI-115 that is currently in Phase 2 trials. The latter prolactin receptor antibody treatment for male and female pattern hair loss was originally developed by Bayer (Germany) who received a patent for it in January 2019. A few months later, Hope Medicine announced a global licensing agreement with Bayer to advance the development of this monoclonal antibody to target the prolactin receptor.

In the above screenshot from Absci’s earlier mentioned recent presentation video, they elaborate on some of the key differences between ABS-201 and HMI-115.