Efficacy, safety and dose response of STS01, a topical controlled release nanoparticle formulation (dithranol/Prosilic), in adults with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata: A randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 2 trial

The phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of STS01, a topical nanoparticle formulation, in 155 adults with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata. The study found that the 1% dose of STS01 significantly improved hair regrowth, with 75.9% of patients achieving a ≥30% improvement in the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score compared to 36.7% with placebo. The 1% dose also showed significant improvements in SALT scores at 2, 4, and 6 months. Skin irritation was the most common adverse event but was generally mild and manageable. The study concluded that STS01 1% is effective for hair regrowth with minimal tolerance issues, and further research is planned in a phase 3 study.