Why Isn't RU58841 Sold by Doctors and Pharmacies?

RU58841 is a potent androgen blocker that was first discovered by scientists in France in the 1990s. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for male-pattern hair loss in multiple clinical studies. It is sold as a white powder that needs to be dissolved in a suitable solvent, after which it is simply applied to the scalp once a day. The drug readily penetrates the skin and enters the hair follicles, where it binds firmly to the androgen receptors. Once blocked, the androgen receptors cannot bind to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and they remain inactive, protecting the hair follicle against the damaging effects of DHT.

The wide-spread impact of DHT on hair

The hair follicles synthesize an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into DHT. DHT is a much more potent androgen than is testosterone, and it binds strongly to androgen receptors, which activate a number of different pathways in different cells. DHT is a major controller of hair growth. It is the reason why men grow beards and chest hair and women do not. However, while DHT triggers hair growth in many parts of the body, it does not affect the hair follicles on the scalp in the same way. Men, women, and children, all with very different levels of DHT in their body, grow scalp hair all the time. In fact, in a healthy head, at any one time 90% of the hair follicles will be actively growing hair at the rate of 11 centimeters per year. Over time, exposure to DHT causes the scalp hair follicles to spend more time resting rather than growing hair. Eventually, the scalp hair follicles regress and completely stop producing hair.

Oral anti-DHT medications

Blocking the action of DHT in the hair follicles is a proven method of stopping the process of hair loss in male-pattern baldness. Several oral medications that block 5-alpha-reductase from converting testosterone into DHT have been FDA-approved for treating male-pattern hair loss and are available by prescription from a doctor. However, because these oral medications act systemically, they affect organs other than the scalp and can produce significant side effects, including impotence and loss of libido. They may also increase the risk of developing a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Topical anti-DHT medications

RU58841 has a slightly different mechanism of action. Rather than preventing the formation of DHT, it blocks DHT from binding to the androgen receptors. Because RU58841 is only applied to the scalp, it only affects the hair follicles on the scalp, not any other organ. Therefore it has no known side effects other than occasional reports of skin irritation at the site of application. It is very effective at stopping the hair loss cycle. However, it has not been approved by the FDA, is not available from a doctor, and is not sold in pharmacies. This curious state has made many men reluctant to try it; they assume it is a scam or perhaps is dangerous in some unknown way.

Money problems

However, the reason why RU58841 has not been FDA-approved has nothing to do with its efficacy or safety, but rather to do with money. In order to obtain FDA approval for a product, a pharmaceutical company has to invest a significant amount of money and time in performing the necessary clinical trials and filling out the paperwork. The company that originally discovered Ru58841 was bought out shortly after its discovery, and this wonder cure was basically forgotten by the pharmaceutical industry. Until and unless some company decides to invest the time and money in it, it will not be formally approved as a treatment for hair loss. It is, however, legally available for purchase for personal use.