It is not on the market for hair yet
Clascoterone 5% scalp solution is investigational. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals plans a US New Drug Application in early 2027. Approval, pricing, and brand launch come after that.
Availability timeline →Independent research brief · Updated Aug 2026
A topical androgen-receptor blocker just finished the largest Phase 3 programme ever run on a topical for male pattern baldness. Here is what the numbers actually say — and what you can use while you wait.
The widely quoted “539% more hair” figure is a relative improvement versus vehicle in one trial, not a 5× density increase on your scalp. We unpack the maths on the studies page.
Start here
Clascoterone 5% scalp solution is investigational. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals plans a US New Drug Application in early 2027. Approval, pricing, and brand launch come after that.
Availability timeline →Winlevi is a 1% cream approved for acne. The hair trials used a 5% solution. Off-label Winlevi use exists, but it is a different strength and vehicle with no Phase 3 hair data.
Winlevi off-label guide →Listings that stamp CLASCOTERONE on a biotin serum are marketing copy. Pharmaceutical clascoterone is a prescription molecule, not an open-shelf cosmetic active.
What is actually proven →Unlike finasteride (lowers DHT systemically) or minoxidil (vasodilator / potassium-channel effects), clascoterone occupies the androgen receptor in the follicle with negligible systemic absorption in trials.
How it blocks DHT locally →Long-tail guides
Molecule, brand names, acne vs hair formulations.
SCALP 1 and SCALP 2 endpoints, explained in plain English.
Why stopping at month 6 reversed gains.
Systemic 5-ARI versus topical receptor block.
Different biology. Combination is the live question.
Local reactions vs the sexual-side-effect worry.
While you wait
Pattern hair loss is progressive. Waiting two years for a launch without a plan is how Norwood stages move. The evidence stack that already exists: topical minoxidil 5%, oral finasteride 1 mg where appropriate, ketoconazole shampoo, and a clinician who will photograph your baseline.
Disclaimer in one sentence
Talk to a licensed clinician before starting or stopping any hair-loss treatment. Individual results vary. Investigational does not mean available, and available does not mean right for you.
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