Domestic pharmaceutical companies are widening their stride from hair loss treatments to the dermacosmetics (functional cosmetics) market. In addition to prescription drugs that treat hair loss, they are expanding their portfolios to include products for long-term scalp and hair care as they move to capture the market.
A representative case is JW Shinyak(067290). JW Shinyak signed an exclusive agreement in 2024 with French drugmaker Pierre Fabre and has been supplying the dermacosmetics brand "Ducray" hair care product "Neoptide Expert" in Korea. After launching the product for the first time in Asia last year, the company also held a beauty class on the 7th for women consumers in their 20s and 30s to expand consumer touchpoints.
A JW Shinyak official said, "Demand is growing for everyday scalp and hair care that is hard to satisfy with hair loss treatments alone," and "We are fostering a portfolio that combines prescription drugs and dermacosmetics as a new growth pillar."
Currently, JW Shinyak's hair loss–related items account for about 10% of total sales. The main products are "Monad" and "Monastar," which contain finasteride; "Dutamore," which contains dutasteride; and the topical minoxidil "Mydeal 5% foam." Among them, Monad recorded sales of about 2.8 billion won last year.
JW Shinyak supplies Neoptide Expert mainly to medical institutions such as dermatology clinics, hair loss specialty clinics, and clinics, while also selling it through its official online mall. It is a structure that simultaneously uses the existing prescription drug sales network and consumer sales channels.
The company has also secured clinical and usability data that support the product's competitiveness. According to the company, Neoptide Expert confirmed satisfaction with improvements in overall hair condition—such as volume, shine, and density—in a global observational study of 1,676 people across 13 countries, including Korea.
In Korea, a separate usability assessment was conducted with 110 Koreans. As a result, 97.3% of experts and 93.6% of users expressed an intention to continue using the product.
JW Shinyak also sees compatibility with concurrent use alongside treatments as a strength. A company official said, "Not only with standalone use, but also when used together with existing hair loss treatments or during the process of managing a sensitized scalp after hair transplantation, the product received positive evaluations," adding, "We plan to continue expanding consumer participation programs to increase opportunities to experience the product."