Review of Baricitinib in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

The review discusses the use of Baricitinib, the first FDA-approved treatment for Alopecia Areata (AA), a non-scarring hair loss condition. The paper analyzed two identical phase III trials (BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2), which showed that a higher percentage of subjects receiving Baricitinib (4 mg or 2 mg dose) achieved a Severity of Alopecia Tool score equal to or less than 20 compared to placebo. In BRAVE-AA1, these values were 38.8% for 4 mg, 22.8% for 2 mg, and 6.2% for placebo. In BRAVE-AA2, these values were 35.9% for 4 mg, 19.4% for 2 mg, and 3.3% for placebo. Adverse effects were considered mild or moderate and included acne, elevations of low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevation of creatinine kinase. The review concludes that Baricitinib is a relatively safe and tolerable treatment for severe AA, but further study is needed to assess its long-term efficacy and safety.