Australian researchers are currently recruiting 150 volunteers for the final phase of a clinical trial aimed at exploring the potential of a repurposed blood pressure medication as a treatment for baldness. The drug, minoxidil, was initially developed to manage high blood pressure, but its unintended side effect—promoting hair growth—has spurred this investigation.
While topical treatments like Rogaine have been marketed in the past, Professor Rodney Sinclair, a dermatologist, has been testing a more effective sublingual tablet formulation that dissolves under the tongue. He believes that, pending regulatory approval, this new approach could make baldness a choice rather than an inevitability.
Among the participants is Andrea Demuru, who shared his journey of trying various hair growth products, stating that many people end up wasting considerable sums of money without substantial results. The trial consists of rigorous assessments of hair growth alongside patient feedback to determine the treatment’s efficacy.
The project builds on 15 years of research during which Professor Sinclair’s team has treated approximately 30,000 patients with this medication at varying dosages, refining their techniques throughout. The main goal is to evaluate not only the increase in hair count but also its impact on the participants’ self-perception and overall satisfaction with their appearance.
If successful, the treatment could become commercially available within two years.