JW Pharmaceutical announced on Tuesday its intention to showcase the preclinical findings of JW0061, a groundbreaking treatment for hair loss targeting the Wnt pathway, at the upcoming U.S. Society of Investigative Dermatology (SID) meeting in Dallas, Texas, scheduled for May 15-18.
JW0061 represents a pioneering approach in activating the Wnt signaling pathway to stimulate hair follicle growth and regeneration. Developed utilizing JW Pharmaceutical’s advanced AI-driven data science platform, JWELRY, this candidate has generated significant interest within the scientific community.
The Wnt pathway plays a crucial role in skin development and the formation of hair follicles during embryonic development and postnatal growth. By facilitating the differentiation of skin stem cells into hair follicles, it regulates the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, which are vital for hair growth and maintenance.
Through its direct interaction with the GFRA1 protein in dermal papilla cells, JW0061 effectively triggers the Wnt signaling pathway. Notably, JW Pharmaceutical previously introduced JW0061 at the Wnt 2022 conference as the first small molecule drug to elucidate the mechanism underlying hair growth.
During the upcoming conference, JW Pharmaceutical will present the outcomes of efficacy assessments conducted across various models, including human skin organoids, which mimic the structural and functional characteristics of patients’ organ tissue. This innovative technology represents a significant advancement in drug discovery, offering a viable alternative to traditional animal testing and enabling the prediction of clinical outcomes.
Building upon these promising preclinical results, JW Pharmaceutical intends to initiate Phase I clinical trials within the current year. The company has already completed toxicity evaluations in compliance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards at international facilities and is actively preparing for clinical drug production.
A spokesperson from JW Pharmaceutical emphasized, “Numerous non-clinical studies have confirmed the remarkable efficacy of JW0061 in promoting hair growth and follicular regeneration.” Through this presentation, the company aims to bolster the global recognition of JW0061 as a groundbreaking therapeutic option, potentially augmenting or replacing existing treatments for hair loss.
JW0061 was selected as a supported project by the National Center for the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) and received funding for non-clinical research last year.
