Scarring Alopecia CRO Services | Preclinical and clinical services

Scarring alopecias are a group of chronic inflammatory disorders in which the hair follicle (HF) is the primary target of inflammation, leading to irreversible follicular destruction, fibrosis and permanent hair loss. They are broadly classified as lymphocytic (e.g. lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, discoid lupus erythematosus), neutrophilic (e.g. folliculitis decalvans) or mixed.

Current management aims to control inflammation and halt disease progression. Depending on subtype and severity, it may include topical, intralesional or systemic corticosteroids, antimalarials, tetracycline antibiotics, other immunosuppressants and, in some subtypes, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Most of these options are used off-label and are supported by limited high-quality evidence. Responses are variable, and treatment limits disease activity rather than restoring lost follicles.

Because the destruction of follicular stem cells in the bulge region is thought to underlie the irreversibility of scarring alopecias, understanding bulge biology, including the loss of immune privilege and the mechanisms of fibrosis, is central to identifying targets that could prevent permanent follicle loss. Together with disease heterogeneity and the lack of validated endpoints, this makes scarring alopecias a persistent challenge for drug development.

At QIMA Life Sciences, we support our clients’ drug discovery and development programmes with advanced solutions to investigate these mechanisms and evaluate novel therapeutic approaches at preclinical and clinical stages.