VDPHL01 is an extended-release oral minoxidil in late-stage testing. Veradermics reported Phase 2/3 results in 519 men in April 2026 and Phase 2 results in 49 adults with female and male pattern hair loss in July 2026. It is investigational and not FDA-approved. Oral minoxidil is currently prescribed off-label in some settings; an approved, purpose-built oral formulation would be new.
The short version
- Study 302 (NCT06724614) randomised 519 men with mild-to-moderate pattern hair loss to 8.5mg once daily, 8.5mg twice daily, or placebo for six months.
- Co-primary endpoints were non-vellus target area hair count and a patient-reported rating on the Androgenetic Alopecia Impact Rating Scale.
- Study 207 (NCT06527365) was a smaller Phase 2 in 49 adults, 21 male and 28 female, using a lower 4.5mg dose in women.
- Two further trials are registered: Study 304 (NCT06972264) in males and Study 306 (NCT07146022) in females.
- The sponsor reported no serious adverse events related to the study drug, and no adverse events of cardiac origin, in either readout.
What did each study report?
Unusually for this field, the sponsor reported absolute hair counts rather than only relative ratios, which makes the numbers easier to interpret.
| Study | Population | Arms | Hair count | Patient-reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 302 (NCT06724614) | 519 men | 8.5mg QD / 8.5mg BID / placebo | +30.3 and +33.0 hairs/cm² vs +7.3 placebo at month 6 | 48.4% and 62.9% rated improved vs 13.4% placebo |
| 207 (NCT06527365) | 49 adults (21M / 28F) | 4.5mg QD / BID in women | +22.7 and +23.3 hairs/cm² at month 6 | 88.9% and 90.0% reported improvement |
| 304 (NCT06972264) | Registered, males | Phase 3 | Topline expected H2 2026 | — |
| 306 (NCT07146022) | Registered, females | Phase 3 | Topline expected 1H 2027 | — |
Why do the absolute numbers matter here?
A count of +30.3 hairs per square centimetre against +7.3 in placebo tells you two things a ratio hides: the size of the change, and that the placebo arm moved as well. Placebo arms in hair trials routinely improve, partly because standardised photography and consistent grooming change what is measured. Reading the active and placebo numbers together is the honest way to look at it.
The sponsor also reported separation from placebo by month two, which is early for this field, and higher patient-reported than investigator-assessed improvement in some arms — a reminder that self-rating and clinical measurement do not always agree.
Interested in 2DDR?
Deoxylocks is a physician-formulated cosmetic scalp hydrogel with 5% 2-deoxy-D-ribose. Clear, odorless, once daily.
What about the safety questions with oral minoxidil?
Minoxidil was originally developed as an antihypertensive, so cardiovascular effects are the standing question for any oral formulation. Veradermics reported overall adverse event rates similar between VDPHL01 and placebo, no serious adverse events related to the study drug, and no adverse events of cardiac origin of special interest, with lower discontinuation in the active arms than in placebo. These are sponsor-reported findings from six-month trials, and the extended-release formulation is the specific thing being tested. None of that is a substitute for a prescriber's judgement.
What these results do not tell you
- Six months is not long-term. Cardiovascular safety questions for an oral drug are answered over years, not two quarters.
- Study 207 was small. 49 participants split across doses and sexes produces wide uncertainty around any single figure.
- Two Phase 3 trials have not reported. Studies 304 and 306 are registered and pending. Reported timelines move.
- Sponsor-reported. These figures come from company announcements, not peer-reviewed publications.
- Off-label use is a different thing. Existing off-label oral minoxidil prescribing uses different formulations and doses, and says nothing about this one.
Where does 2-deoxy-D-ribose sit against this?
Further back, and in a different regulatory category. 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2DDR) is a naturally occurring pentose sugar. The work most often cited is a 2024 paper in Frontiers in Pharmacology from the University of Sheffield and COMSATS University, which applied it in a testosterone-driven mouse model and reported hair growth outcomes in that model similar to the minoxidil comparator used in the same study. That is an animal study, and the lead author described the work publicly as early stage.
One independent randomised controlled trial of a 2-deoxy-D-ribose hydrogel (NCT07502976) began recruiting in January 2026 at Kasr El Aini Hospital, with 60 participants estimated and primary completion listed for October 2026. No results have been posted. That trial is run by an academic hospital and is not a study of any commercial product.
So the honest summary is: an animal model, a mechanistic hypothesis about blood vessel formation, and one human trial that has not reported. Set against a completed Phase 3 programme, that is not a close comparison, and this article does not make one.
Deoxylocks is a physician-formulated cosmetic hydrogel containing 5% 2-deoxy-D-ribose. It is a scalp care product sold for cosmetic use. It is not a drug, it has not been through the trials described in this article, and nothing here was conducted on it. Anyone weighing the options in this article should speak with a clinician about their own situation.
Common questions
Is VDPHL01 the same as taking minoxidil tablets?
No. It is an extended-release formulation being tested at specific doses in registered trials. Off-label oral minoxidil prescribing uses different products.
Is it approved?
No. It is investigational for androgenetic alopecia. Two Phase 3 trials are registered and had not reported at the time of writing.
Were women included?
Study 207 included 28 women at a lower 4.5mg dose. The larger female Phase 3, Study 306, is registered with topline expected in 2027.
Where can I read the trial records?
The male Phase 2/3 is NCT06724614 and the earlier Phase 2 is NCT06527365. Both are linked below, along with the two pending Phase 3 records.
Last checked 15 August 2026.
Sources
Primary sources for the figures in this article. Registry records were checked on 15 August 2026.
- VDPHL01 Study 302 (NCT06724614)
- VDPHL01 Study 207 (NCT06527365)
- VDPHL01 Study 304 (NCT06972264)
- VDPHL01 Study 306 (NCT07146022)
- Veradermics Study 302 results announcement
- Veradermics Study 207 results announcement
- Stimulation of hair regrowth in an animal model of androgenic alopecia using 2-deoxy-D-ribose
- 2-Deoxy-D-ribose hydrogel vs minoxidil 5% (NCT07502976)
Deoxylocks 5% 2DDR Scalp Hydrogel
A physician-formulated cosmetic hydrogel for nightly scalp care. Non-hormonal, clear and odorless, applied once daily to the scalp. Backed by a 90-day risk-free return policy.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
