In 2022, I wrote a post about the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to discover new hair loss drugs. This phenomenon has really grabbed attention this week. First, we heard about Absci (US) raising $100 million for its generative AI-developed hair loss drug ABS-201 (after positive interim Phase 1 clinical trial findings). And now I discuss a brand new company called RE:YOU (US).
RE:YOU: AI-Enabled Discovery of Small Molecules for Hair Follicle Rejuvenation
Several days ago, a new US-based company named RE-YOU (or Re:You) was covered in BioSpace. They announced promising preclinical research in relation to the AI-enabled drug discovery of four novel molecules for hair growth. Each of these four molecules targets a distinct biological pathway involved in hair follicle growth and the scalp environment. All four molecules were evaluated in primary human cell systems and human hair follicle organoid models.
Moreover, the scientists behind this discovery published a lengthy pre-print paper in bioRxiv on June 9, 2026. It is titled:
“AI-enabled discovery of small molecules targeting complementary pathways for hair follicle rejuvenation.”
RE:YOU has named the four molecules as follows:
- NV-623 and NV-624. Both support and “energize” dermal papilla cell viability and proliferation. Each molecule supposedly showed 30% greater hair growth in comparison to minoxidil.
- NV-273. Inhibits prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2), activates hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and increases secretion of VEGF-A and lactate. All of this is supposed to benefit the scalp hair growth environment, circulation and regenerative signaling. Interestingly, the massively hyped Pelage Pharmaceuticals’ PP405 hair growth product works by boosting lactate production.
- NV-1065. A non-steroidal inhibitor of 5α-reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The later is the key cause of male pattern hair loss. The researchers claim that this molecule suppresses DHT to a similar extent as dutasteride. Amazing if true.
RE:YOU classifies its portfolio of multi-pathway hair growth molecules under the brand name NOVOGRO™.
Someone has written a very lengthy article on minoxidil vs Novogro that might be worth a read. I did not have the time or motivation to go through it as yet.
Key quote from the BioSpace article:
“Using a combination of machine learning, graph neural networks, structure-based virtual screening, and experimental validation, researchers screened more than 20 million compounds and identified four lead candidates with distinct mechanisms of action.”
All of this sounds very interesting due to the involvement of AI-led drug discovery. Especially if the company can deliver something brand new to topically inhibit scalp DHT levels (without causing any of the potential side effects of oral dutasteride).
But at the moment, I remain skeptical and would not be surprised if all we get is yet another new hair loss cosmeceutical product. If the pre-print article gets published in a reputable journal, I will get a bit more interested.
At the bottom of RE:YOU’s home page, they say that:
“A 150+ subject, 6-month, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial comparing NOVOGRO™ -powered serum (NV-273, NV-623, NV-624) with a minoxidil benchmark arm is currently underway.”
They hope that an interim dataset will be available by the end of July 2026. To me, a comparison with finasteride or dutasteride would be more interesting.
Note that this company and the study co-authors are in various ways affiliated with Integrated Biosciences and LK Innovations.
