Kythera Biopharmaceuticals acquired by Allergan

Hey, if they get some promising hair growth treatments to market sooner, I’ll give them a hand clap too. Photo: European Pressphoto Agency

Hot off the press. Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, the company who recently acquired the rights to use PDG2r antagonists for hair growth, has been acquired by the pharmaceutical powerhouse Allergan for $2.1 Billion. The deal is mainly being publicized as an acquisition of Kythera’s double chin treatment Kybella. However, any internet hair enthusiast knows that Allergan already has Bimatoprost in its pipeline as a topical hair growth treatment. By acquiring Kythera and their PDG2r antagonist setipiprant, Allergan now has a one-two punch for treating hair loss. Setipiprant is an oral medication (pill) that works systemically to prevent hair miniaturization and loss, while Bimatoprost is topical liquid to stimulate growth.

In an audio interview that was released shortly after Kythera acquired the PDG2r rights, a Kythera representative mentioned that Kythera was already developing a hair loss program focused on the androgen pathway for over two years before acquiring the rights to use setipiprant for hair. That’s interesting to know. What other companies could be privately working on hair growth?