Bioorthogonal Click-Engineered Microneedle Patch Enables Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Dermal Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression for Hair Loss Treatment
March 2026
in “
ACS Nano
”
bioorthogonal click-engineered microneedle patch ClickMNP adeno-associated virus acidic fibroblast growth factor AAV-aFGF hair-follicle regeneration dermal angiogenesis anagen phase alopecia follicle viability fibroblast proliferation follicular cycling microneedle patch AAV aFGF hair loss hair regrowth hair cycle
TLDR A new microneedle patch effectively treats hair loss by delivering growth factors to the skin.
The study introduces a bioorthogonal click-engineered microneedle patch (ClickMNP) designed for the efficient delivery of adeno-associated virus encoding acidic fibroblast growth factor (AAV-aFGF) to treat hair loss. This innovative patch overcomes the limitations of aFGF's poor bioavailability and rapid degradation by enabling localized and sustained expression of the growth factor. In murine models of alopecia, a single application of ClickMNP significantly accelerates hair-follicle regeneration, enhances dermal angiogenesis, and prolongs the anagen phase, outperforming traditional treatments. The patch maintains follicle viability and supports regrowth through multiple hair cycles, demonstrating favorable biocompatibility and upregulation of pathways linked to fibroblast proliferation and follicular cycling. This approach offers a promising new strategy for addressing hair loss and potentially other skin-related conditions.
