THE VANGUARD BLOG
Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.
Monograph
Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid, PLLA) is an injectable biostimulator developed by Sanofi-Aventis (now Galderma). Unlike hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, which physically occupy volume at injection sites, Sculptra works by triggering a controlled…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Ketoconazole is an imidazole antifungal medication. As a topical shampoo (typically 2% ketoconazole in the United States as Nizoral, 1% as Nizoral A-D OTC, with various international generics), it is FDA-approved for treatment of seborrheic…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Setipiprant is a small-molecule antagonist of the prostaglandin D2 receptor 2 (DP2, also called CRTH2). It was originally developed as a potential treatment for asthma and allergic disorders due to PGD2's role in inflammatory responses. In 2012, a…
30 May 2026
Monograph
As of mid-2026, Kintor reports that the pivotal Phase III stage in China met its primary endpoint with statistically significant and clinically meaningful efficacy in male AGA; a 52-week long-term safety Phase III also met endpoint. US Phase II positive. NDA planned in China.
30 May 2026
Monograph
RU58841 (also called PSK-3841) is a non-steroidal topical antiandrogen developed by Roussel Uclaf (later Sanofi) in the late 1980s and 1990s as a topical treatment for androgenetic alopecia (AGA, male and female pattern hair loss). It is a pure…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Bimagrumab (BYM338) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds and blocks the activin receptor type II (ActRII), preventing signaling from myostatin, activin A, and other ActRII ligands that negatively regulate skeletal muscle mass. By blocking…
30 May 2026
Monograph
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. Oral GABA supplements have been marketed for decades for stress, anxiety, sleep, and general relaxation. The classical neuroscience…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Phenibut (β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid) is a Russian-developed compound first synthesized in the 1960s as an anxiolytic and is registered as a pharmaceutical in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia for conditions including anxiety, insomnia, and…
30 May 2026
Monograph
The racetam class — defined by a 2-pyrrolidinone (2-oxopyrrolidinyl) core structure — was the first and remains the most consequential synthetic nootropic class. Piracetam was synthesized by Corneliu Giurgea at UCB Pharma in 1964 and coined the term…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Polygala tenuifolia (Chinese name: yuan zhi, 远志) is a perennial herb whose root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over two thousand years. Classical TCM indications focused on insomnia, restlessness, palpitations, cognitive…
30 May 2026
Monograph
NSI-189 is a small-molecule compound developed by Neuralstem (now Seneca Biopharma) as a novel antidepressant working through neurogenic mechanisms — specifically, stimulation of hippocampal neurogenesis. It progressed through Phase 1 and Phase 2…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Bromantane (N-(2-adamantyl)-4-bromoaniline) is a Russian-developed compound classified as an 'actoprotector' — a class describing agents that increase physical and cognitive performance under stress without the side-effect profile of classical…
30 May 2026
Bug report, content request, or general comment — we read everything.