target lane
GPR44 / CRTH2
Block PGD2-linked growth suppression in androgen-sensitive follicles.
Move: Cyclic peptide or mini-protein antagonist campaign; benchmark against known CRTH2 antagonists.
Route: Topical or microneedle local exposure.
← Discovery
Discovery story
Hair-loss program — local follicle-regeneration workbench.
A worked, local follicle-regeneration program demonstrating DiscoveryLab on a tractable indication.
New indication program
Male hair loss is a local follicle-regeneration program, not another generic peptide list.
The program focuses DiscoveryLab on receptor-level follicle biology, source-aware peptide screening, and scalp-local delivery so the UX stays clear: atlas, screen, delivery, translation.
program thesis
Do not start by hunting for a better copper-peptide cosmetic. Start by blocking suppressive PGD2/GPR44 biology, exploring neuropeptide control of follicle cycling, and keeping delivery local to the scalp.
Guardrail: no hair-growth efficacy language before follicle-relevant assay and human-compatible endpoint evidence exists.
target lane
CGRP receptor complex
Probe sensory-neuropeptide, vascular, and neuroimmune control of follicle cycling.
Move: Screen CGRP-family fragments and biased analogs for pro-anagen signals without inflammatory overshoot.
Route: Local microdose or controlled scalp depot.
target lane
VIP / PACAP receptors
Test autonomic-neuropeptide regulation of dermal papilla and follicle state transitions.
Move: Design stabilized VIP/PACAP fragments with reduced systemic exposure and crisp local readouts.
Route: Topical enhancer, intradermal, or microneedle.
target lane
IGF-1 comparator axis
Use growth-factor biology as a comparator, not an unconstrained systemic program.
Move: Search for local mimetics or downstream-permissive peptides rather than systemic IGF stimulation.
Route: Only local, reversible, and tightly gated.
four-phase program
phase 01
Follicle receptor atlas
Map dermal papilla, outer root sheath, bulge niche, immune, vascular, and neural-context receptors before sequence generation.
phase 02
Human follicle screening
Screen endogenous, food, fungal, approved-drug, and designed peptide seeds in dermal-papilla and follicle-relevant assays.
phase 03
Local delivery optimization
Prefer scalp-local delivery: topical vehicle, follicular retention, microneedle, or depot microformulation.
phase 04
Translation package
Advance only evidence-gated families into phototrichogram-compatible endpoints and tolerability work.
evidence gates
Androgen context
Candidate still works in DHT/androgen-sensitive follicle context.
Local exposure
Scalp/follicle exposure with low systemic spillover and reversible dosing.
Follicle function
Hair-shaft elongation, dermal-papilla activity, or pro-anagen marker shift in relevant models.
More on discovery
Related on this track
Problem
Why brute-force peptide search fails.
Modality fit
Causal-node and receptor-gate routing.
CNS pack
Small-molecule CNS translational evidence layer.
Microbiome
Ecosystem programming and microbial indirection.
MOTS-c candidate
Evidence-backed seed framing.
Natural seeds
Parent peptide library and guardrails.
Search space
Eight-stage reduction strategy.
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All sections on the discovery track.