Haleon’s New Gum-Health Toothpaste Trial: What Investors Should Watch

Haleon PLC (GB:HLN) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Study Overview
This Haleon-sponsored trial, officially titled “A 12-Week Randomized, Controlled, Single-Blind, Clinical Study Investigating the Efficacy of an Experimental Toothpaste Containing Stannous Fluoride in Improving Gingival Health,” tested whether a new toothpaste can improve gum health and reduce dental plaque versus a standard fluoride product. The study focuses on adults with plaque-induced gingivitis, a very common condition, and is significant because better clinical proof can help support premium oral care claims in a competitive market.

Intervention/Treatment
The main product is an experimental fluoride toothpaste that contains stannous fluoride along with zinc chloride and alumina. Its goal is to cut plaque and improve gum health more than a regular fluoride paste. The control treatment is Colgate Cavity Protection, a widely used standard fluoride toothpaste, which acts as the benchmark for current everyday care.

Study Design
This is an interventional study where participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group used the experimental Haleon toothpaste and the other used the Colgate control. Both brushed twice a day for 12 weeks. The design is parallel, meaning people stayed with the same product for the whole study. It is single-blind, so the investigators assessing gum health did not know which toothpaste each person used. The main goal is to test treatment benefit on plaque and gum health, not prevention in the wider population.

Study Timeline
The study was first submitted on 4 September 2025, marking the formal start of regulatory and listing activity. The trial has now reached completed status, meaning all planned participant visits and brushing periods are finished. The last update on 19 January 2026 signals that Haleon has recently refreshed the record, often a sign that data cleaning or analysis is underway. Results have not yet been posted, so investors are still waiting for outcome data.

Market Implications
For Haleon (GB:HLN), a positive readout could strengthen its position in gum health and provide fresh support for premium toothpaste pricing and brand differentiation. Strong evidence against a branded competitor product, Colgate Cavity Protection from Colgate-Palmolive, would be commercially useful in trade and marketing discussions. While this single study is unlikely to move Haleon’s share price on its own, it adds to the company’s evidence-based positioning and supports long-term brand equity in oral care. Investors should watch for any later claims around plaque reduction or gum health that could drive mix improvement and margins, especially relative to major rivals like Colgate-Palmolive and Procter & Gamble in the global toothpaste market.

The study is now completed and recently updated, with further details and future results to be made available on the ClinicalTrials portal.

To learn more about GB:HLN’s potential, visit the Haleon PLC drug pipeline page.