Topical minoxidil is the only US FDA approved drug used for the treatment of AGA in females. While topical minoxidil exhibits a good safety profile, the efficacy in the overall population remains relatively low i.e., 30-40% re-grow hair. To observe significant improvement in hair growth, minoxidil is typically used once daily for a period of at least 24 weeks. Due to the significant time commitment and low response rate, a diagnostic test to identify non-responders prior to initiating therapy would be advantageous.
Minoxidil is converted in the scalp to its active form, minoxidil sulfate, by the sulfotransferase enzyme SULT1A1. The enzyme expression is variable among individuals. We have demonstrated in two prior feasibility studies that the SULT1A1 enzyme activity in plucked hair follicles correlates with minoxidil response in the treatment of AGA and thus can server as a predictive biomarker.
Consequently, we developed a minoxidil response in-vitro diagnostic kit intended to identify non-responders prior to initiating therapy with 5% topical minoxidil foam.
