Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Ritlecitinib Compared With No Treatment in Patients With Severe Alopecia Areata in Japan
March 2026
in “
The Journal of Dermatology
”
New to Alopecia Areata? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This study found that ritlecitinib 50 mg is cost-effective compared to no treatment for patients in Japan with alopecia areata and significant scalp hair loss, demonstrating an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below the country's cost-effectiveness threshold. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study analyzed the cost-effectiveness of ritlecitinib, a dual JAK3 and TEC family kinase inhibitor, for treating severe alopecia areata (AA) with ≥ 50% scalp hair loss in Japan. Using a Markov model and data from the ALLEGRO phase 2b/3 trial, the analysis compared ritlecitinib to no treatment, considering lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was 4,816,589 JPY (31,820 USD) per QALY, below Japan's cost-effectiveness threshold of 5,000,000 JPY (33,032 USD) per QALY. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the impact of utility scores, work time missed, and discontinuation rates on ICER. The findings suggest ritlecitinib 50 mg is cost-effective for patients with severe AA in Japan.
