Follicum Commences Human Trials for FOL-005

I first covered the relatively new Sweden-based company called Follicum in April of last year. Thereafter, the company made a few announcements via press releases that I largely ignored since it was yet to commence phase 1 human clinical trials. And we all know how long those take, even after accounting for newer regulations in some countries that can shorten the time.

Follicum Begins Phase 1 Clinical Trials

However, last week Follicum finally announced that they had commenced phase 1 clinical trials of their FOL-005 product. This product can interestingly both inhibit hair as well as stimulate hair, although it seems like the company might be naming the hair stimulation product something else down the road, and it could be slightly different from FOL-005. According to Follicum, both the hair inhibition and hair stimulation products are based on “a large human protein which has been manipulated and modified.

They currently have 1 patient on whom the drug is being tested upon, but aim to have a total of 30 patients soon. The study is being undertaken at the highly respected Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin that I have covered on this blog before. This makes me take Follicum a bit more seriously.

The company’s research on mice (undertaken by contract research organization Dabur Research Foundation in India) suggests that this product will be significantly superior to Minoxidil when it comes to scalp hair growth.

Note that the current press release by the company only mentions testing FOL-005 for hair inhibition (important for those who suffer from excessive body hair, aka hirsutism). But I assume they will also be doing testing for hair stimulation with another similar product or the same product? I am not interested enough for the time being to ask the company about that important detail, but perhaps will do so after they come out with one more press release in the coming months. My intuition tells me that the hair stimulation product will have a different name and slightly different chemistry.

I was reluctant to write an entire post on Follicum, but changed my mind after a request on the hair loss chat on this site. And also because my monthly brief items of interest post is still over two weeks away.

40 thoughts on “Follicum Commences Human Trials for FOL-005”

  1. Why are they focusing on inhibition of hair and not hair growth. Any who if this really works it will take 8 years to hit the market. At that point we will be all nw 6 and 7 and this treatment will be worthless for us but great for low norwoods. No conspiracy theories here at all. It’s a treatment NOT CURE, that will be better than rogaine but it won’t hit the market till like 2022 so f it. If it clears all 3 trials. I’m praying for samumed and a supreme release of follica in the next 2 years.

  2. Admin thank you for the news.
    I won’t judge this product right now because it’s too early and Let’s wait till phase 2 ( that is if passed phase 1). The most important thing is that there is so much caring about hair loss and balding than 10 years ago and that’s a good thing.

  3. We need a new treatment, now! After all these years we still only have finasteride and minoxidil… this is horrible!

  4. Painking you are one of millions of people affected by MPB demanding a new EFFECTIVE treatment. You are RIGHT. Be patient.

    Great Blog. Another competitor in the race.

  5. It’s good that they find another name.. Follicum is awful.

    I’m with mjones on this one, it’ll take too long until it’s available. So, I’m not excited, Farhan.

  6. I’m also rooting for Samumed, the one treatment that, apparently, we can get faster. I hope it’ll be really good.

  7. Ar this point guys if samumed can fill my diffuse loss at the right side of my head and give me the density I had in 2013 before propecia capped out on me I will be happy. Just want my hair back to a solid nw2, not this diffuse shit hair I have now. From what it sounds like it can create new follicles and increase hair count of terminal hair it sounds pretty good. Let’s hope for the best but a realistic best.

  8. I think if phase 2 trials show that it is far superior to minoxidil it’ll be here sooner than we think, but that’s just my opinion.

  9. That’s all bs. If you want to get this stuff in the usa it will have to go through all phases of clinical trials which usually takes 6 to 8 yrs. This is a drug you have to take daily so you will need to get it at your local pharmacy. You can’t expect to fly to Sweden every month to get it there if you love here if it gets approved quicker in evurope . Just being realistic. But f it! This shit still hasn’t been through phase 1 and it probably will take a very long time. This will be good to talk about in 2018 if it passes basic testing

  10. Dudes, if you are getting bald, think about the things we have now, stop thinking in new treatments that we havent actually , the best option we have at the moment is a FUE (done for a good doctor) Fin/Dut, and then wait for a next treatment (that i expect is coming soon)
    im getting bald with 25 and im having fin and if my hair get worse, i’ll have a HT here in Spain with a really good doctor for 5000€ and then my problem will be fixed for some year till the cure or a new treatment is here.

    Cheers guys

  11. Cris most of us on here are you using propecia and rogaine for many years and we need something better because the meds are not effective for us anymore. We know about prooecys and rogaine. So what you said is dumb. Sorry but I had to say it. Oh and fk getting an HT fue. It’d a barbaric worthless sugary.

    1. It’s not dumb mjones. Stop with the insults. I agree with Cris. I would also urge you mjones to avoid posting too many comments here daily as it seems to be affecting your mental state negatively.

      1. Totally agree with chris…if you have little bit of hair loss getting a FUE is the best thing..I got myself fue and no one can tell im bald…it looks really thick..and I use minoxidil occasionally and also toppik to make it look thicker…if I am at a point that its really thin and fue is not worth I will shave it off…but sitting on a verge for a treatment everyday is not worth…deep down I hate im thinning ..but what can we do its fate…. but again FUE is the only best option for now.. and dont play with propecia…I used it for a month and started bitching like women…lol

    1. It’s already available here in India. Topical fin that is.

      Another interesting treatment is RISUG or better known as the contraceptive for men.

      I won’t get into the details and while it does not directly target hair loss. A side effect of it is increased hair growth. It employs nanotech and is a one time treatment costing roughly $2

      Unfortunately, pharma companies have shown very little interest owing to it not being a product with high margins. That certainly is sad as it does depict tremendous potential.

  12. Whatever…. for cris to believe that other members on here should try current treatments instead of looking at future ones is dumb. Most of us on here if not all are on fin dut. Minox etc. We join this blog to see what future treatments are coming because current meds don’t work anymore. It’s like cris thinks we are all morons for not trying propecia lol. I didn’t call you dumb admin, I don’t recall typing that in my previous post. I want to make that clear..

  13. For those of you on here that aren’t taking fin or rogaine. I would highly suggest getting on 1mg brand name fin to keep what you have. Don’t listen to whatever phoenix says or other people say. Just look at the current progress of getting a new treatment to market fir hsir loss it’s very long. Hop on fin to save what you have. I’m out !

    1. Just calm down and stop insulting people mjones. You spend more time here than anyone else. I would suggest joining some hair loss forums.

  14. Advice taken. I will leave and come back in a few months. It will probably do me good anyway. Nothing will change by then anyway lol

      1. Hey Admin,

        gonna throw this little theory/thought out there. Remember when Ken Washenik was announced as a board member of Follica in their press release from last year? It’s been buggin’ the hell out of me until recently. Why that guy? Aderans failed. Miserably. But I totally forgot about Bosley – the world’s largest hair restoration practice. Who better to get on board than the industry you’re about to wipe out. Potentially.

        Couple that with the line in this article I’ve highlighted before:

        http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/bioflash/2015/12/the-nobel-prize-winner-who-will-advise-puretech-on.html

        Three of the company’s current companies will report data from late-stage trials over the next year-and-a-half which could form the basis of applications for approval to the FDA. “Each of these programs is addressing big health problems that have multi-billion dollar potential,” Zohar said in the email.

        I think we’re gonna see some news and partnerships regarding Follica this year. Could be wishful thinking but I think 2016 might surprise us. Hopefully :)

        1. I hope you are right Mike and thanks for the excellent comment. I am a bit skeptical about Washenik after all these years, but hopefully I am incorrect.

          1. And rightly skeptical too but that’s the angle now I think. He’s on their board but I highly doubt in a scientific sense – they’ve already got the big guns for that. I think it’s for the guy’s connections in the hair transplant game. Similarly they have Neal Walker on their board and take a look at some of his other involvements:

            http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/12/07/warts-and-all-malvern-firm-testing-potential.html

            In short, topicals for dermatological conditions. Coincidence? Really don’t think so.

            We know Follica’s treatment is going to involve a hospital or doctors at least initially – the rest done at home – and hair transplant docs are obviously going to be interested/worried at something potentially putting them out of work.

            I know folks don’t like to get their hopes up about Follica – and I’m extremely cautious about my optimism – but I really think we’re going to see some break-through news this year.

      1. Hi,

        look at this;

        “inhibit hair as well as stimulate hair” like a laminin 5

        “a large human protein which has been manipulated and modified.” –

        also whole protein and cutted “manipulated ” – like a laminin 5

        Please bracket topic because laminin is human protein and the clinical trial will be more easy.

        Best Regards

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