JW Pharmaceutical Announces Preclinical Results of Hair Loss Treatment 'JW0061'... "Promotes Hair Growth and Increases Hair Follicles"

Senior Researcher Yu Anna of JW Pharmaceutical is presenting the research results of the Wnt-targeted hair loss treatment 'JW0061'.
[Photo by JW Pharmaceutical]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 21st that it has revealed for the first time at the 'Wnt 2022' conference the mechanism of action and preclinical efficacy evaluation results of the Wnt-targeted alopecia treatment 'JW0061'.

JW0061 is a first-in-class drug candidate that activates the Wnt signaling pathway in the skin and hair follicle stem cells, promoting hair follicle proliferation and hair regeneration. The Wnt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in skin development and hair follicle formation during embryogenesis and is necessary for skin stem cells to transform into hair follicle stem cells and differentiate into hair follicles. It is especially involved in the proliferation of dermal papilla cells located at the root of the hair, which regulate hair growth and maintenance.

According to the preclinical results presented this time, JW0061 was newly confirmed to directly bind to the GFRA1 protein in dermal papilla cells, activating the Wnt signaling pathway. Along with this, animal experiment results on the effects of hair growth during the anagen phase and the increase in hair follicle number were also presented. Generally, about 90% of hair is in the anagen phase, and alopecia mostly occurs due to problems during this phase.

JW Pharmaceutical applied JW0061, a standard of care drug, and placebo to different experimental sites in an animal model, and on the 34th day after the start of drug application, confirmed JW0061's superior hair growth and hair follicle neogenesis effects compared to the placebo group. It also verified hair growth effects equal to or greater than the standard treatment, and the combination therapy of JW0061 and the standard treatment produced the maximum hair growth effect. Hair growth cycles through three stages: anagen, catagen, and telogen, repeatedly, and the company explained that JW0061 application advanced the entry into the anagen phase, which normally takes more than 50 days on average, by more than 15 days.

JW Pharmaceutical is conducting GLP nonclinical toxicity evaluations aiming to start clinical trials of JW0061 in the first half of 2024 and is also conducting joint research with key dermatology medical professionals in the United States. Chanhee Park, CTO of JW Group, said, "Among currently marketed androgenic alopecia treatments and clinical substances, there is no drug that clearly identifies the target analysis where the drug directly binds to the protein and the mechanism of hair growth action," adding, "The research results of JW0061 are the first reported case of a small molecule drug targeting GFRA1 and will be recognized as an innovative alopecia treatment candidate."

The Wnt conference is a venue where leading scholars and researchers worldwide in the field of 'Wnt signaling' exchange the latest knowledge and research results. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the Wnt protein, and the conference was held face-to-face for the first time in three years at Awaji Yumebutai in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.