Absci Reports New Human Ex Vivo Data Demonstrating That ABS-201™ Stimulates Hair Growth and Regenerates Stem Cell Niche to Potentially Reverse Follicle Miniaturization

Rhea-AI Summary

Absci (NASDAQ: ABSI) reported new human ex vivo data for ABS-201, an anti‑PRLR antibody, showing it prolongs anagen, stimulates hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation, increases follicular IGF1 and FGF7, and preserves/expands the K15+/CD34+ stem and progenitor pool in organ‑cultured full‑thickness human scalp. Findings suggest ABS-201 may reverse follicle miniaturization by promoting vellus‑to‑terminal reconversion and neutralizing intrafollicular prolactin signaling. The full dataset was presented at Absci’s ABS-201 KOL seminar on Dec 11, 2025 and slides were posted to investor relations.

Positive

• Prolongs anagen by blocking catagen in human ex vivo follicles
• Increases hair growth factors IGF1 and FGF7
• Preserves and expands K15+ stem cells and CD34+ progenitor pool
• Stimulates hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair keratin production

Negative

• Data are preclinical ex vivo; clinical efficacy in patients is unproven
• No in vivo or clinical outcome data, safety, or dosing information provided

Key Figures

Q3 2025 revenue $0.4M Quarter ended Sept 30, 2025

Q3 2025 net loss $28.7M Quarter ended Sept 30, 2025

Cash & securities $152.5M As of Sept 30, 2025; company cites runway into H1 2028

HEADLINE trial size Up to 227 participants Phase 1/2a ABS-201 trial in AGA

ABS-201 interim AGA readout H2 2026 Planned interim efficacy timing

Shelf registration capacity $400,000,000 Form S-3 filed Aug 12, 2025

ATM capacity under shelf $100,000,000 Sales agreement with TD Securities

Unsold prior shelf securities $75,175,613 Carried forward into 2025 S-3

Market Reality Check

$3.64 Last Close

Volume Volume 7,610,061 vs 20-day average 5,083,919 (relative volume 1.5x). normal

Technical Price $3.97 is above 200-day MA at $3.06 and 37.28% below 52-week high, up 97.51% from 52-week low.

Peers on Argus

ABSI gained 12.78% while higher-affinity biotech peers were mixed to negative: CGEM -2.43%, INBX -4.96%, LXRX -0.75%, with smaller moves in ATXS +0.39% and YMAB +0.23%, indicating a stock-specific reaction to ABS-201 data rather than a sector-wide move.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 04	ABS-201 trial start	Positive	+11.7%	First participants dosed in Phase 1/2a HEADLINE trial of ABS-201.
Nov 12	Q3 earnings update	Neutral	-1.4%	Reported Q3 2025 results, cash runway into H1 2028, program timing.
Oct 29	Earnings scheduling	Neutral	-0.7%	Announcement of Q3 2025 results date and related webcast details.
Oct 27	Investor conferences	Neutral	+5.4%	Participation in multiple November investor conferences and webcasts.
Oct 15	ABS-201 KOL & timing	Positive	+28.2%	KOL seminar announcement and accelerated Phase 1/2a start for ABS-201.

Pattern Detected

ABS-201 and KOL/trial updates have previously coincided with positive share moves, while routine earnings and scheduling news have seen modest or mixed reactions.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Absci has steadily built the ABS-201 story. On Oct 15, it announced an accelerated start for the Phase 1/2a AGA trial and a December KOL seminar, with shares rising 28.21%. The Dec 4 update on first dosing in the HEADLINE trial drove another 11.7% gain. In contrast, Q3 2025 financial results on Nov 12 and related scheduling headlines produced small moves of -1.45% and -0.68%. Today’s ex vivo ABS-201 data and KOL event fit this pattern of stronger reactions to clinical and program catalysts than to financial updates.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-08-12

$400,000,000 registered capacity

Absci has an effective Form S-3 shelf filed on Aug 12, 2025 to offer up to $400,000,000 in various securities, including a sales agreement prospectus for up to $100,000,000 of common stock via TD Securities. The prospectus states proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes at management’s discretion.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement underscores new human ex vivo evidence that ABS-201, an anti‑prolactin receptor antibody, may promote hair growth and address stem cell niche changes linked to androgenetic alopecia. It complements recent progress, including initiation of the Phase 1/2a HEADLINE trial and prior KOL planning. Investors may track upcoming ABS-201 clinical readouts, Absci’s cash position of $152.5M, and use of its $400,000,000 shelf registration and $100,000,000 ATM as key factors shaping future optionality and risk.

Key Terms

prolactin receptor medical

"an AI-designed antibody targeting the prolactin receptor."

The prolactin receptor is a protein found on the surface of certain cells that binds to the hormone prolactin, which plays a key role in processes like milk production and immune system regulation. For investors, understanding this receptor helps illustrate how hormones influence health and development, potentially affecting industries related to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and biotech innovation. Changes in how this receptor functions can impact medical treatments and market opportunities.

androgenetic alopecia medical

"Today’s standard treatment options for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) do not target..."

Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss characterized by gradual thinning and receding of hair, often following a predictable pattern. It results from a combination of genetic factors and hormone influences, similar to how certain plants are more susceptible to environmental stress. For investors, understanding trends in health and wellness, including conditions like this, can highlight shifts in consumer demand for related products and treatments.

ex vivo medical

"promotes human hair follicle growth ex vivo Human ex vivo data validate..."

Ex vivo describes tests or treatments performed on living cells, tissues, or organs that have been removed from the body and studied in an external environment. For investors, ex vivo work sits between basic lab dish tests and whole‑animal or human studies, offering a more realistic preview of how a therapy or diagnostic might behave in real tissue — like running an engine on a test stand before putting it back into a car — which can reduce scientific risk and inform development milestones.

anagen medical

"transition from the anagen (active growth) phase to the catagen..."

Anagen is the active growth phase of a hair follicle when the hair shaft is being produced and lengthens; it determines how quickly and how long hair grows before it stops. For investors, anagen matters because many medical treatments and cosmetic products aim to extend or stimulate this phase, so clinical results, treatment timelines, and market potential hinge on whether a therapy can reliably shift follicles into or prolong the anagen “growing season,” much like getting more growth time out of plants in a garden.

catagen medical

"transition from the anagen (active growth) phase to the catagen (regression/apoptosis) phase."

Catagen is the short, transitional phase in the hair growth cycle when a growing hair stops actively lengthening and the follicle begins to shrink before entering a resting stage. For investors, catagen matters because treatments or products that alter the length or timing of this phase can be evidence of efficacy in hair-loss or cosmetic trials, and changes here often serve as measurable signals that a drug or product is affecting biology.

apoptosis medical

"catagen (regression/apoptosis) phase."

Apoptosis is a controlled, built‑in process where cells deliberately shut down and are safely removed, like a person retiring and clearing out their belongings so the house stays orderly. Investors care because many drugs and diagnostics target or measure this process: how well a therapy triggers or avoids apoptosis can determine clinical trial success, safety profiles, regulatory approval, and ultimately a company’s valuation.

keratinocyte medical

"promoting hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation, and increasing the hair follicle..."

Keratinocytes are the main type of cell in the outer layer of the skin that produce tough proteins and form a protective barrier, like bricks in a wall keeping the body sealed from the outside. Investors watch keratinocyte behavior because many drugs, medical devices and skincare products target these cells or measure their healing and safety effects, making them central to regulatory approvals, market demand and clinical trial outcomes.

stem cell niche medical

"regenerating the stem cell niche as well as promoting additional key growth modulators."

A stem cell niche is the local environment inside tissues — including nearby cells, structural support, and chemical signals — that keeps stem cells healthy and controls whether they sleep, divide, or become specialized cells. For investors, the niche matters because therapies or drugs that target these environments can change how effectively stem cells repair tissue or fuel disease, affecting the potential value and risk of related biotech projects.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Inhibiting prolactin receptor (PRLR) signaling with the ABS-201 anti-PRLR antibody promotes human hair follicle growth ex vivo

Human ex vivo data validate ABS-201’s potential to reverse follicular miniaturization and drive vellus-to-terminal hair regeneration by demonstrating that it prolongs anagen, stimulates keratin synthesis, and modulates the stem cell niche

Full dataset will be presented during today’s ABS-201 Key Opinion Leader (KOL) seminar

VANCOUVER, Wash. and NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Absci Corporation (NASDAQ: ABSI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing breakthrough therapeutics with generative AI, today unveiled new preclinical data for ABS-201, an AI-designed antibody targeting the prolactin receptor. The data, generated using translational human ex vivo scalp models, demonstrate that ABS-201 effectively stimulates hair growth by regenerating the stem cell niche as well as promoting additional key growth modulators.

The findings will be presented today at Absci’s ABS-201 KOL seminar – interested parties may register for the virtual event via this link.

“Today’s standard treatment options for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) do not target one of its root causes, the reduced capacity of hair follicle stem cells to generate progenitor cells, and largely ignore the role of other hormones than androgens in this form of hair loss,” said Professor Ralf Paus, M.D., D.Sc., F.R.S.B., Research Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “Our study provides the first evidence that antagonizing prolactin signaling with ABS-201 could open a radically new chapter in future AGA management.”

Key Data Highlights

These studies were conducted in organ-cultured, full-thickness human scalp skin derived from male donors, a model considered highly predictive of clinical response, to assess the efficacy of ABS-201 in modulating prolactin-induced transition from the anagen (active growth) phase to the catagen (regression/apoptosis) phase. Mechanistically, ABS-201 treatment significantly inhibited the PRLR signaling pathway (STAT5 phosphorylation).

This inhibition correlated with:

• Prolongation of Anagen and Restoration of Growth Signaling: ABS-201 prolongs anagen by blocking catagen, promoting hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation, and increasing the hair follicle production of the potent hair growth-stimulatory growth factors IGF1 and FGF7.
• Preservation and Expansion of Stem Cell Niche: ABS-201 uniquely protects and expands the hair follicle progenitor cell pool, specifically by inhibiting the prolactin-induced apoptosis of K15+ stem cells while increasing their proliferation and capacity to generate CD34+ progeny. The preservation of the CD34+ progenitor pool is particularly distinct, as the reduction of these cells is a hallmark of androgenetic alopecia pathophysiology.
• Potential for Follicle Reconversion: In combination, anagen prolongation, hair shaft keratin stimulation, and the stem cell effects of ABS-201 facilitate the reconversion of vellus to terminal hair follicles, suggesting a disease-modifying mechanism distinct from the current treatment options.
• Activity in Endogenous Settings: ABS-201 also demonstrated growth-promoting effects in the absence of exogenous prolactin, indicating effective neutralization of intrafollicular prolactin. This mechanism suggests that ABS-201 could be efficacious in any individual with active PRLR signaling, whether driven by local or systemic prolactin concentrations, in combination with local PRLR expression.
  
  

“Our data confirm that prolactin signaling is much more important in human hair growth regulation than widely appreciated,” added Professor Paus. “We demonstrate that ABS-201 protects and increases the hair follicle stem and progenitor cell pool, specifically by inhibiting the prolactin-induced apoptosis of K15+ stem cells while increasing their capacity to generate CD34+ progeny. Importantly, ABS-201 also lengthens anagen, the growth phase of the hair cycle, and stimulates hair shaft and hair keratin production as well as the production of key growth factors that promote hair growth. In combination, this unique spectrum of ABS-201 activities promises to reduce AGA-associated hair loss and facilitate the reconversion of miniaturized (vellus) into large terminal hair follicles in AGA.”

Together, data from these studies further validate the anti-PRLR mechanism in androgenetic alopecia. Detailed data are available in a slide presentation posted to Absci’s investor relations website today.

About ABS-201 and Androgenetic Alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male-pattern or female-pattern hair loss, affects approximately 80 million Americans. The condition causes crown balding and receding hairlines in men, and progressive hair thinning in women. Currently, the only FDA-approved treatments – minoxidil and finasteride – show limited efficacy and notable side effects, leaving patients with limited therapeutic options.

ABS-201 represents a novel therapeutic approach targeting prolactin receptors to stimulate hair follicle regeneration and promote durable hair regrowth as demonstrated in in vivo studies. In preclinical studies, the antibody demonstrated statistically significant superior hair regrowth compared to minoxidil in a preclinical mouse model. Absci anticipates an interim data readout from its Phase 1/2a HEADLINE^TM study in the second half of 2026.

About Absci
Absci is advancing the future of drug discovery with generative design to create better biologics for patients, faster. Our Integrated Drug Creation™ platform combines cutting-edge AI models with a synthetic biology data engine, enabling the rapid design of innovative therapeutics that address challenging therapeutic targets. Absci’s approach leverages a continuous feedback loop between advanced AI algorithms and wet lab validation. Each cycle refines our data and strengthens our models, facilitating rapid innovation and enhancing the precision of our therapeutic designs. Alongside collaborations with top pharmaceutical, biotech, tech, and academic leaders, Absci is advancing its own pipeline of AI designed therapeutics including ABS-201, a groundbreaking innovation in hair regrowth with the potential to redefine treatment possibilities for androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male and female pattern hair-loss. ABS-201 is also being investigated as a potential “best-in-class” therapeutic for endometriosis, a condition with significant unmet medical need and market potential. Absci is headquartered in Vancouver, WA, with an AI Research Lab in New York City, and Innovation Center in Switzerland. Learn more at www.absci.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@absci), X (@Abscibio) and YouTube.

Absci® standard character mark, ABS-201™, Headline™ and Integrated Drug Creation™ are trademarks and registered trademarks of Absci Corporation.

Absci Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding any or all of the following: (i) Absci’s preclinical studies, clinical trials, as well as partnered and internally developed programs, including, without limitation, manufacturing capabilities, status of such studies and trials and expectations regarding data, safety and efficacy generally; (ii) data included in the above-described oral presentation, as well as the ability to use data from ongoing and planned clinical trials for the design and initiation of further clinical trials; (iii) Absci’s strategy, goals, anticipated financial performance and the sufficiency of its cash resources; (iv) regulatory submissions and authorizations, including timelines for and expectations regarding any anticipated regulatory agency decisions; (v) the expected benefits of its collaborations with partners; and (vi) the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of antibody therapies, as well as other technologies. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Absci Corporation’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in any other subsequent filings made by Absci Corporation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.

Investor Contact:
Alex Khan
VP, Finance & Investor Relations
investors@absci.com

Media Contact:
press@absci.com
absci@methodcommunications.com

FAQ

What did Absci announce about ABS-201 on December 11, 2025 (ABSI)?

Absci reported human ex vivo data showing ABS-201 prolongs anagen, raises IGF1 and FGF7, and preserves K15+/CD34+ stem/progenitor cells in scalp models.

How does ABS-201 (ABSI) aim to reverse follicle miniaturization?

ABS-201 antagonizes prolactin receptor signaling, which correlated with anagen prolongation, stem cell preservation, and vellus‑to‑terminal reconversion signals in ex vivo models.

Are the ABS-201 results from Absci (ABSI) clinical trials or preclinical studies?

The reported results are from translational human ex vivo organ‑cultured scalp studies, not from in vivo clinical trials.

Will Absci (ABSI) release full ABS-201 data and where can investors find it?

Full slide data were presented at the ABS-201 KOL seminar on Dec 11, 2025 and posted to Absci's investor relations website.

What biological markers did ABS-201 affect in Absci's (ABSI) study?

ABS-201 inhibited PRLR signaling (STAT5 phosphorylation), increased IGF1 and FGF7, and protected K15+ stem cells while increasing CD34+ progeny.