VDPHL01 (oral minoxidil): status for hair loss

What is VDPHL01?

VDPHL01 is a sustained-release tablet of minoxidil that is taken by mouth. It is developed by the pharmaceutical company Veradermics and is being studied for hereditary hair loss. It is not approved for hair loss as of October 2026.

Many people know minoxidil as a liquid or a foam you apply to the scalp. VDPHL01 is instead a tablet in which the substance is wrapped in a formulation that releases it slowly (sustained-release), so that it can be taken once daily. The substance itself, minoxidil, is therefore not new; what is new is the oral sustained-release version and the attempt to have it formally approved for hair loss.

Does VDPHL01 work for hair loss?

The company has reported positive phase 3 data in men, with a larger increase in hair count than placebo. But the figures are company-reported and not yet fully peer-reviewed, and a positive series of trials is not the same as an approval.

In the company-reported phase 3 trial in men, Veradermics measured an increase in hair count in the target area of around 29 hairs per cm² with once-daily dosing and around 36 hairs per cm² with twice-daily dosing after six months, versus about 7 hairs per cm² for placebo. The direction is promising, but the figures are company-reported. They can only be regarded as solid once independent, peer-reviewed studies confirm them. That oral minoxidil can increase hair growth is in itself well documented from low-dose use — see our overview of minoxidil for hair loss.

When could VDPHL01 arrive?

It is not approved, and there is no official launch date. Veradermics has stated that an application for approval in the US is the goal; independent estimates point to the earliest around 2027. An approval in Denmark and the EU would, if it happens, come after that.

As with the other treatments, any year for a possible launch is uncertain, and an application is not an approval. See the full overview in our guide to new hair loss treatments.

Is it just oral minoxidil?

Essentially yes. The active substance is minoxidil, the same as in the well-known hair loss treatment, and low-dose oral minoxidil is already used off-label. The difference is the sustained-release formulation and that Veradermics is trying to have an oral version formally approved for hair loss.

Oral minoxidil is prescription-only and carries, among other things, cardiovascular cautions, because the substance was originally a blood pressure drug. In the company's trial it was reported that no treatment-related serious adverse events of a cardiac nature were seen, but that does not change the fact that oral minoxidil should only be used in consultation with a doctor. That a substance is already used in a low dose off-label makes it neither an approved nor a risk-free treatment for hair loss. You should not obtain or dose oral minoxidil on your own.

Sources

1. ClinicalTrials.gov. Safety and Efficacy of VDPHL01 in Males With Androgenetic Alopecia (phase 3, ongoing). NCT06972264. clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06972264
2. Vano-Galvan S, et al. Safety of low-dose oral Minoxidil for hair loss: A multicenter study of 1404 patients. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33639244

This article summarises published research. It is general educational information, not medical advice, and it is not a recommendation to start, stop or change any medication. Prescription drugs carry contraindications and interactions; discuss them with a doctor who knows your medical history.