New drug aims to regrow hair in alopecia patients
NCT ID NCT07049328
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 5 times
Summary
This early-stage study tests a new drug called HCW9302 in 30 adults with alopecia areata, a condition causing patchy or total hair loss. The drug is an IL-2 fusion protein given by injection. The main goal is to check safety and find the right dose for future studies, not to prove it works yet.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- HCW9302, an IL-2 fusion protein
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could point toward a new treatment that helps regrow hair in people with alopecia areata.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small Phase 1 trial focused on safety, not effectiveness. The drug may not work or could cause side effects. Results may not apply to all patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adult women who are 18 to 70 years of age, or adult males who are 18 to 60 years of age at the time of informed consent. 2. Clinical diagnosis of Alopecia Areata (AA) (including ophiasis, totalis or universalis forms) at Screening. 3. Negative serum pregnancy test within 14 days of treatment start if female and of childbearing potential (non-childbearing is defined as greater than one year postmenopausal or surgically sterilized). 4. Female subjects of childbearing potential must adhere to using a highly effective medically accepted method of birth control (defined as those with failure less than 1%; see Appendix 2) prior to screening and agree to continue its use for at least 28 days after the last dose of HCW9302 or be surgically sterilized (e.g., hysterectomy or tubal ligation) and males must agree to use a barrier method of birth control and agree to continue its use for at least 28 days after the last dose of HCW9302. 5. Laboratory tests performed within 28 days of treatment start: 1. Absolute neutrophil count (AGC/ANC) ≥ 1,500/μL (≥1.5 × 109/L) 2. Platelets ≥ 100,000/μL (≥ 100 × 109/L) 3. Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL (\>100g/L) 4. Calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR)\* \>40 mL/min OR serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN 5. Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 × ULN or ≤ 3.0 × ULN for subjects with Gilbert's syndrome 6. AST, ALT, ALP ≤ 2.0 × ULN 6. Able and willing to comply with requested study visits and procedures. 7. Able and willing to provide written informed consent and HIPAA authorization Exclusion Criteria: 1. Men and women (of reproductive potential) unwilling to use birth control and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding 2. Patient has primarily "diffuse" type AA (characterized by diffuse hair shedding) 3. Presence of another form of alopecia 4. Prior use of any of the following treatments: a. Aldesleukin b. Investigational IL-2 analog 5. Concurrent use of oral or topical treatments targeting hair growth or hair restoration (including but not limited to finasteride, dutasteride, topical minoxidil or oral minoxidil) if discontinuation or dosage change is planned during the study period. 6. Prior use of phototherapy and any systemic immunosuppressant (systemic steroids, cyclosporin, methotrexate or any other immunosuppressive therapy) or immunomodulating biologic therapy (including but not limited to dupilumab, tralokinumab, lebrikizumab, nemolizumab, rocatinlimab, or daxdilimab, whether marketed or investigational) within 3 months prior to Screening. 7. Prior use of any B-cell depleting agents, whether marketed or investigational, including but not limited to rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, or belimumab, within 6 months prior to Screening. 8. Known hypersensitivity or history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to the agents used in the study. 9. History of diabetes mellitus, regardless of whether it is controlled or not. 10. History of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, uncontrolled arrhythmias, cardiac revascularization, stroke, uncontrolled hypertension, or uncontrolled diabetes within 6 months prior to Screening. 11. Significant organ dysfunction that is unstable or inadequately treated within 6 months prior to Screening. 12. History of cancer or lymphoproliferative disease, except for the following: adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer without current evidence of disease. 13. Currently receiving any chronic systemic (oral or intravenous) anti-infective therapy for chronic infection (such as pneumocystis, cytomegalovirus, herpes zoster, or atypical mycobacteria). 14. Active tuberculosis (TB) (based on TB blood test or a TB skin test) or a history of inadequately treated TB. 15. Herpes zoster or cytomegalovirus (CMV) that resolved less than 2 months prior to Screening. Subjects with a history of frequent outbreaks of Herpes Simplex Virus (defined as 4 or more outbreaks a year). 16. Major surgery within 3 months prior to Screening visit or has a major surgery planned during the study. 17. Active systemic infection requiring parenteral antibiotic/antiviral therapy. All prior infections must have resolved following optimal therapy. 18. Prior organ allograft or allogeneic transplantation. 19. Positive based on serological screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C at screening. 20. Any ongoing toxicity from prior therapies that, in the judgment of the Investigator, may interfere with study treatment. All toxicities attributed to prior therapy must resolve to grade 1 or baseline before administration of the study treatment. 21. Psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements. 22. Other skin conditions that would interfere with study assessments of AA. 23. Other illness or a medical issue that in the opinion of the Investigator would exclude the subject from participating in this study.
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The study's own enquiry address
This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .
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The places running it
3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Study contacts
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Contact
Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Dawes Fretzin Clinical Research Group
RECRUITINGIndianapolis, Indiana, 46250, United States
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James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital
RECRUITINGTampa, Florida, 33612, United States
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
RECRUITINGColumbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
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