The first regenerative approach to hair loss

Pelage is developing regenerative medicines for hair loss grounded in stem cell biology

Pelage is developing
regenerative medicines for hair loss
grounded in stem cell biology

PP405 is a breakthrough solution that reactivates dormant hair follicles

The only science-driven hair loss treatment that directly targets hair loss at the level of the stem cells.
Non-invasive and designed for the 21st century.

Innovative
science

Innovative science

Based on UCLA scientists’ discovery of a metabolic switch that activates stem cells in hair follicles.

For
everyone

For Everyone

Non-hormonal treatment designed for all genders, skin types, and hair types.

Restore follicles to their youthful state

Restore follicles to their youthful state

The first solution directly targeting hair follicle stem cells, restoring the ability of dormant hair follicles in balding areas to regrow hair.

Non-invasive
solution

Non-invasive

The topically-applied small molecule is delivered to the hair follicle without detectable systemic exposure.

Pelage's mission

Reignite
hair growth

Novel mechanism of PP405

At Pelage, our mission is to deliver a clinically-tested, FDA-approved treatment grounded in innovative science for all genders, skin types, and hair types. Thinning hair and bald spots result when hair follicles become dormant. PP405 targets stem cells to reawaken the dormant hair follicles and restore youthful appearance

PP405 - the first treatment
designed specifically for hair loss

Androgenetic Alopecia

Also known as pattern hair loss, the most common type of hair loss in men and women. Caused by a combination of genetics, hormones, age, and environmental factors.

Drug-induced Alopecia

Hair loss caused by certain medications—most notably chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment.

Telogen Effluvium

Hair loss due to stressors such as illness, childbirth, menopause, and weight loss.

Current hair loss treatments are inadequate

Current treatments have limited efficacy and unclear mechanism of action (e.g. minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma). Only two are FDA approved, with no new approvals in almost three decades.

Existing therapies target secondary factors affecting hair growth such as hormones.

Treatment options are not suitable for all patients and may be gender specific, require oral dosing, carry systemic side effects, 
or require invasive procedures.

The Pelage solution

A novel, non-invasive, topical small molecule drug platform that activates stem cells in the hair follicles directly to stimulate robust hair growth. By targeting an intrinsic metabolic switch in hair follicles, Pelage’s platform restores the hair follicle’s natural ability to grow hair. How our drug works:

Hair follicles naturally cycle through
periods of rest and growth.
This process is governed by hair
follicle stem cells.

Over time, due to age, genetics, stress, hormones, and other factors, hair follicle stem cells can become "stuck" and unable to activate a new hair follicle growth cycle.

PP405 activates dormant hair follicle stem cells, restoring the natural regenerative capacity of the follicle and activating new hair growth in previously bald areas.

Selected Publications and Presentations

  1. American Academy of Dermatology 2024 Annual Meeting. Inhibition of pyruvate oxidation activates human hair follicle stem cells ex vivo.
  2. Experimental Dermatology. Inhibition of pyruvate oxidation as a versatile stimulator of the hair cycle in models of alopecia
  3. Nature Cell Biology. Lactate dehydrogenase activity drives hair follicle stem cell activation

PP405 Phase 2
Clinical trials in progress

Our Phase 2a study for men and women with androgenetic alopecia is in progress.
ClinicalTrials ID NCT06393


“Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of PP405 in Adults With AGA”

We’d love keep you informed on upcoming clinical trials! If you’re interested in learning more, please visit this link. As information becomes available, our team will reach out to share details about upcoming studies, eligibility, and how you may be able to take part.

For patients interested in participating in upcoming studies, please keep an eye on this space. A sign-up link for additional info is coming soon!

Our Team

Daniel Gil, PhD

Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer, Pelage

Christina Weng, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Nathan Wheeler

Vice President, Head of Operations

William Lowry, PhD

President & Co-Founder
President & Co-Founder, Pelage

Catherine J Friedman

Chair of the Board
Executive Venture Partner, Google Ventures (GV)

Richard Heyman

Venture Partner, ARCH
Chairman and co-founder, Architect Therapeutics

Daniel Gil, PhD

Chief Executive Officer, Pelage

William Lowry, PhD

President & Co-Founder, Pelage

Mathew Avram, MD, JD, FAAD

Director of the Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH, FAAD

Vice Chair of Clinical Trials and Innovation, Director of the Dermatology Inpatient Service at Brigham & Women’s Hospital Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Amelia K. Hausauer, MD, FAAD

Director of Dermatology and Minimally Invasive Aesthetics at Aesthetx

Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD

Professor and Past Chair of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine

Heather Christofk , PhD

Co-Founder

Michael Jung, PHD

Co-Founder

Lisa Sherman

Sr. Director, Clinical Operations

Aimee Flores PhD

Head of Translational Sciences

Steve Sacavage

Sr. Director, Clinical Development

Daniel Sun PhD

Head of Chemistry

Tess McDaniel

Senior Research Associate, Biology

Daniel Gil, PhD

Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer, Pelage

Christina Weng, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Nathan Wheeler

Vice President, Head of Operations

William Lowry, PhD

President & Co-Founder
President & Co-Founder, Pelage

Mathew Avram, MD, JD, FAAD

Director of the Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH, FAAD

Vice Chair of Clinical Trials and Innovation, Director of the Dermatology Inpatient Service at Brigham & Women’s Hospital Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Amelia K. Hausauer, MD, FAAD

Director of Dermatology and Minimally Invasive Aesthetics at Aesthetx

Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD

Professor and Past Chair of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine

Heather Christofk , PhD

Co-Founder

Michael Jung, PHD

Co-Founder

Lisa Sherman

Sr. Director, Clinical Operations

Aimee Flores PhD

Head of Translational Sciences

Steve Sacavage

Sr. Director, Clinical Development

Daniel Sun PhD

Head of Chemistry

Tess McDaniel

Senior Research Associate, Biology

Investors

Press

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces $120 Million Series B Financing to Advance Regenerative Medicine Treatments for Hair Loss

Oct 15, 2025
  • Financing co-led by ARCH Venture Partners and GV (Google Ventures) to support continued advancement of PP405, a topical therapy designed to reactivate dormant hair follicle stem cells to restore hair growth
  • Positive Phase 2a results in androgenetic alopecia support progression into Phase 3 trials in 2026
  • Cathy Friedman of GV has been appointed Chair of the Board; Richard Heyman of ARCH Venture Partners joins the Board of Directors

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Phase 2a Clinical Trial Results for PP405 in Regenerative Hair Loss Therapy

Jun 17, 2025
  • Clinical validation of stem cell reactivation approach positions Pelage as leader in regenerative medicine and aging

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Advances Clinical Program with First Patients Dosed in Phase 2 Study for Hair Loss and GV-Led $14M Series A-1

Aug 13, 2024
  • Inclusive trial recruiting women and men with androgenetic alopecia to evaluate safety and preliminary efficacy of PP405, a topical treatment designed to reactivate dormant hair follicle stem cells
  • $14M financing led by GV (Google Ventures) to accelerate Phase 2 clinical program
  • Leaders in dermatology join Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) to advance clinical development

Pelage Presents Late-Breaking Data at AAD 2024 Meeting Demonstrating PP405 Activates Human Hair Follicle Stem Cells Ex Vivo and in Phase 1 Clinical Study

Mar 09, 2024
  • Potent topical MPC inhibitor, based on discovery of a metabolic switch, reawakens dormant hair follicle stem cells to stimulate hair growth
  • PP405 demonstrates statistically significant activation of Ki67 in the hair follicle, a well-established marker of stem cell proliferation

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces $16.75M Series A Financing led by GV to Revolutionize Regenerative Medicine for Hair Loss

Feb 27, 2024
  • Pioneers novel approach to restore the body’s natural ability to grow hair by reactivating dormant hair follicle stem cells
  • Phase I clinical data meets primary safety endpoints and shows statistically significant stem cell activation in hair follicles after one week of treatment with PP405; Phase 2 clinical trial to begin in mid-2024
  • Announces the appointment of Qing Yu Christina Weng, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Phase 2a Clinical Trial Results for PP405 in Regenerative Hair Loss Therapy

Jun 17, 2025 

  • Clinical validation of stem cell reactivation approach positions Pelage as leader in regenerative medicine and aging

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Advances Clinical Program with First Patients Dosed in Phase 2 Study for Hair Loss and GV-Led $14M Series A-1

Aug 13, 2024
  • Inclusive trial recruiting women and men with androgenetic alopecia to evaluate safety and preliminary efficacy of PP405, a topical treatment designed to reactivate dormant hair follicle stem cells
  • $14M financing led by GV (Google Ventures) to accelerate Phase 2 clinical program
  • Leaders in dermatology join Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) to advance clinical development

Pelage Presents Late-Breaking Data at AAD 2024 Meeting Demonstrating PP405 Activates Human Hair Follicle Stem Cells Ex Vivo and in Phase 1 Clinical Study

Mar 09, 2024

  • Potent topical MPC inhibitor, based on discovery of a metabolic switch, reawakens dormant hair follicle stem cells to stimulate hair growth
  • PP405 demonstrates statistically significant activation of Ki67 in the hair follicle, a well-established marker of stem cell proliferation

Pelage Pharmaceuticals Announces $16.75M Series A Financing led by GV to Revolutionize Regenerative Medicine for Hair Loss

Feb 27, 2024

  • Pioneers novel approach to restore the body’s natural ability to grow hair by reactivating dormant hair follicle stem cells
  • Phase I clinical data meets primary safety endpoints and shows statistically significant stem cell activation in hair follicles after one week of treatment with PP405; Phase 2 clinical trial to begin in mid-2024
  • Announces the appointment of Qing Yu Christina Weng, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer

Clinical Advisory Board

Arash Mostaghimi, M.D., M.P.A., M.P.H., F.A.A.D.

Vice Chair of Clinical Trials and Innovation, Director of the Dermatology Inpatient Service at Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Arash Mostaghimi is the Vice Chair of Clinical Trials and Innovation and Director of the Consult Service for the Department of Dermatology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.  With board certifications in dermatology, internal medicine, and clinical informatics, Dr. Mostaghimi is an active clinician with an emphasis on complex medical dermatology and hair loss disorders.  As a clinical researcher, Dr. Mostaghimi has over 275 peer reviewed publication, and served as a principal investigator involved in the design and implementation of numerous clinical trials. He has received numerous teaching and mentorship awards and is co-director of the Complex Medical Dermatology Fellowship.

Clinical Advisory Board

Amy McMichael, M.D., F.A.A.D.

Professor and Past Chair of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine

Dr. Amy McMichael is a Philadelphia native who received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She completed Dermatology residency training at the University of Michigan School of Medicine.

Dr. McMichael is a Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. She has held leadership positions in the Department for over 20 years first as Residency Program Director for 12 years and Chair of the Department for 11 years. She has been a leader in her field, including her roles as past President of Skin of Color Society and past President of the National Medical Association Dermatology Section. She recently served as a Board member of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Dr. McMichael’s clinical and research interests include: hair and scalp disorders, psoriasis, and skin of color. She is co-editor of several medical

Clinical Advisory Board

Mathew Avram, M.D., J.D., F.A.A.D.

Director of the Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center, Massachusetts General Hospital
Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Mathew M. Avram is the Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center and serves as Faculty Director for Dermatology Cosmetic Training at Harvard Medical School. He is the Past-President of both the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery. Dr. Avram has co-authored 7 textbooks and 90 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Avram has delivered over 800 invited lectures, co-chaired teaching sessions for the FDA for three years, and has two U.S. patents. Dr. Avram has been recognized by Newsweek as one of the Top 10 cosmetic dermatologists in America.

Clinical Advisory Board

Amelia K. Hausauer, M.D., F.A.A.D.

Director of Dermatology and Minimally Invasive Aesthetics at Aesthetx

Dr. Amelia K. Hausauer is the Director of Dermatology and Head of Aesthetic Medicine at Aesthetx, a hybrid dermatology and plastic surgery practice in Northern California. She is a key opinion leader for early pipeline innovation and development of multiple injectable and regenerative therapies as well as an active research investigator. Dr. Hausauer spearheaded one of the largest clinical trials using PRP for hair growth and served as the chief editor for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Microneedling in Aesthetic Medicine. Earning a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and medical doctorate from University of California San Francisco, Dr. Hausauer completed residency at New York University then an American Society for Dermatologic Surgery cosmetic surgery fellowship.

Leadership

Qing Yu Christina Weng, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Weng is the CMO of Pelage. She is a physician-scientist and entrepreneur, board-certified dermatologist, and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. She is experienced in corporate startup strategy as Head of Business Development & Strategy at Kira Pharma and CSO and cofounder of Mymiel Skincare. She is on the Board of Directors for the Dermatology Innovation Forum and Dermatology Summit. Dr. Weng has an undergraduate degree from the California Institute of Technology, MD from Harvard, and she completed dermatology residency and fellowship at Harvard.

Leadership

Daniel Gil, PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Gil is the CEO of Pelage. He is also a Venture Partner with Visionary Ventures. Until 2018, Dr. Gil was a Vice President at Allergan, overseeing the research portfolio and early clinical development. His research contributed to development of 5 marketed drugs and he led 8 clinical development projects. He is an inventor on 70+ issued US patents and author on 45 peer-reviewed research articles. Dr. Gil has an undergraduate degree in Biology from Harvard University and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Leadership

Michael Jung, PHD

Co-Founder

Co-Founder 
Professor, UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry

Dr. Jung is a renowned Medicinal Chemist and co-founder of several successful startups. He is also co-inventor of two FDA approved drugs for prostate cancer (Xtandi & Erleada) with several drugs currently in clinical trials.

Leadership

Heather Christofk , PhD

Co-Founder

Co-Founder
Professor, UCLA Biological Chemistry

Dr. Christofk is a leader in the metabolism field with a research focus on how metabolism regulates cell state transitions. Her groundbreaking collaborative research with Dr. Lowry revealed that changes in metabolism can instruct hair follicle stem cell activation, forming the basis for the Pelage’s approach to treat hair loss. She is a Professor of Biological Chemistry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Associate Director of Basic and Translational Research at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA, her PhD from Harvard, and conducted postdoctoral research at UCSF before joining the faculty at UCLA in 2008.

Leadership

William Lowry, PhD

President & Co-Founder

President & Co-Founder
Professor, UCLA Molecular, Cell and Dev. Biology 

Dr. Lowry is a leader in the stem cell field with 20+ years of research experience resulting in the discovery that hair follicle stem cells can be activated by metabolic manipulation. His work has led to the creation of several startups including Pelage and Sardona, as well as other efforts under development.