Dual-Phase Release Finasteride-Loaded Microspheres for Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment: Rapid Intervention and Sustained Control of Dihydrotestosterone

August 2025 in “ International Journal of Pharmaceutics ”

Yunfeng Ma, Jiansong Zhao, Yun Ning, Jingxin Gou, Haibing He, Tian Yin, Xing Tang, Yu Zhang

finasteride microspheres androgenetic alopecia dihydrotestosterone dual-phase release hair regrowth Propecia AGA DHT

Studysummary In AGA animal models, this study found that finasteride-loaded microspheres provided rapid and sustained dihydrotestosterone suppression, promoting hair regrowth through dual-phase drug release.

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The study presents a novel finasteride-loaded microsphere (FIN-MS) system designed for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) by achieving rapid and sustained suppression of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The FIN-MS exhibits a dual-phase release over 28 days, with an initial rapid release of finasteride in the first 4 days followed by a sustained release from days 4 to 28. This approach aims to address the limitations of current oral finasteride treatments, which require prolonged use for visible effects and suffer from adherence issues. In animal models, FIN-MS effectively reduced early DHT levels and promoted hair regrowth, suggesting a promising strategy for overcoming the delayed onset of existing therapies. However, the study acknowledges limitations in translating these findings to humans due to differences in skin structure and metabolism between species.

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