Over the past several years, research into the use of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) to treat hair and skin disorders has increased rapidly. Now a Chinese company plans to begin US clinical trials in regards to using LBPs to treat hair loss.
What are Live Biotherapeutic Products (LBPs)?
LBPs are a newer class of therapies that utilize live microorganisms (such as bacteria) to prevent or treat diseases and other health conditions. Per the FDA, an LBP is a biological product that contains live organisms such as bacteria and fungi.
First ever Clinical Trial of an LBP to Treat Hair Loss
Last week, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharmaceutical (China) received US FDA approval to begin a clinical trial of its live biotherapeutic product LBP-ShC4 to treat pattern hair loss. In the above linked article, they call the subsidiary Shanghai MicroH Therapeutics, but another article calls it Shanghai Yuji Health Technology. This would be the first ever clinical trial in the US to use a LBP for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.
Connection to the Microbiome and Probiotics
Note that the field of LBPs is often linked to probiotics. Both target the human microbiome, which is the community of microorganisms that live in or on parts of the body (e.g., the skin or gastrointestinal tract).
Probiotics are live microorganisms (often bacteria or yeast) that are typically ingested in order to confer health benefits. People often consume probiotic supplements or enhanced yogurt in order to improve that gut health, especially after being on a regimen of antibiotics.
Probiotics are generally viewed as harmless. In contrast, live biotherapeutic products are subject to a more rigorous regulatory oversight by the US FDA, and need to undergo clinical trials prior to approval.
The below image is from a new April 2025 study on the “secrets of the hair follicle microbiome“, which impacts scalp conditions such as dandruff, inflammation and seborrheic dermatitis.
Volume 7, June 2025.
Note that some of the work in this area involves alopecia areata (AA), a totally different form of hair loss compared to the dominant androgenetic alopecia (AGA).