JAK Inhibitors in Dermatology: The Promise of a New Drug Class

January 2017 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”

William Damsky, Brett King

JAK inhibitors tofacitinib ruxolitinib baricitinib alopecia areata hair regrowth topical administration oral administration

From the encyclopedia

Tofacitinib →

a JAK inhibitor for alopecia areata and other autoimmune conditions

Baricitinib →

JAK inhibitor that reduces inflammation and immune attacks on hair follicles, leading to potential hair regrowth, especially in alopecia areata cases

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Studysummary This review reports no new results and highlights existing research suggesting JAK inhibitors may be effective in treating inflammatory skin conditions like alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

JAK inhibitors, such as tofacitinib, ruxolitinib, and baricitinib, showed significant promise in treating various inflammatory skin conditions, including alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. These drugs demonstrated efficacy in promoting hair regrowth, reducing symptoms, and achieving substantial clinical improvements in patients who had not responded to other treatments. Safety concerns included risks of infection, cytopenias, and potential malignancy, but these were generally manageable. The versatility of JAK inhibitors, with both oral and topical administration options, suggested a promising future for this drug class in dermatology, with ongoing clinical trials further exploring their potential.

View this study on jaad.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

17 / 17 results

research Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata and Variants in Adolescents

139 citations , November 2016 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

In this retrospective review, tofacitinib treatment was associated with clinically significant hair regrowth in most adolescent patients with alopecia areata, though limitations suggest further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

research Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Alopecia Areata and Variants: A Study of 90 Patients

238 citations , November 2016 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, tofacitinib was reported to improve scalp hair regrowth in patients with severe alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, and alopecia universalis, showing a higher response in alopecia areata.

research Safety and Efficacy of the JAK Inhibitor Tofacitinib Citrate in Patients with Alopecia Areata

222 citations , September 2016 in “JCI insight”

This research overview highlights that although JAK inhibitors show promise as potential treatments for alopecia areata based on recent insights into the disease mechanism, their efficacy has not yet been thoroughly evaluated in a systematic manner.

research Oral Ruxolitinib Induces Hair Regrowth in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Alopecia Areata

196 citations , September 2016 in “JCI insight”

This study explored the effectiveness of the oral JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib in treating patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata, building on prior success with JAK inhibitors in mice, but results are not reported in this abstract.

$Successful Treatment of Refractory Alopecia Areata Universalis and Psoriatic Arthritis, But Not Plaque Psoriasis with Tofacitinib in a Young Woman$

research Successful Treatment of Refractory Alopecia Areata Universalis and Psoriatic Arthritis, But Not Plaque Psoriasis with Tofacitinib in a Young Woman

24 citations , June 2016 in “Acta dermato-venereologica”

In this case report, tofacitinib was associated with new hair growth on psoriasis lesions after three months of treatment.

research Efficacy of Tofacitinib in Treatment of Alopecia Universalis in Two Patients

51 citations , June 2016 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

In this study, tofacitinib treatment was associated with significant hair regrowth in two patients with alopecia universalis over eight months, with minimal adverse effects reported.

research Familial Aggregation of Alopecia Areata

295 citations , May 2016 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This review examines the immunological aspects of alopecia areata, focusing on genetic, neuroimmunological, and immune privilege factors, but does not report new clinical findings.

research Treatment of an Alopecia Areata Patient with Tofacitinib Results in Regrowth of Hair and Changes in Serum and Skin Biomarkers

70 citations , April 2016 in “Experimental Dermatology”

In this study, oral tofacitinib treatment led to significant hair regrowth and changes in skin and blood biomarkers in a patient with alopecia areata.

research Transient Efficacy of Tofacitinib in Alopecia Areata Universalis

39 citations , April 2016 in “Case Reports in Dermatology”

This study observed initial hair regrowth in a businessman with alopecia areata universalis treated with tofacitinib, but the effect diminished, leading to renewed hair loss.

research Alopecia Areata: Animal Models Illuminate Autoimmune Pathogenesis and Novel Immunotherapeutic Strategies

82 citations , March 2016 in “Autoimmunity reviews”

This review explores animal models of alopecia areata, particularly focusing on the insights they've provided into the disease's immune mechanisms and potential treatment approaches, without reporting new experimental data.

research Profile of Tofacitinib Citrate and Its Potential in the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

37 citations , January 2016 in “Drug design, development and therapy”

This review discusses the use of tofacitinib as a treatment for plaque psoriasis, highlighting its efficacy and safety in clinical trials, but notes unresolved questions regarding long-term safety.

Rapid Skin Repigmentation on Oral Ruxolitinib in a Patient with Coexistent Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata

research Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Oral Tofacitinib Reverses Alopecia Universalis in a Patient with Plaque Psoriasis

185 citations , June 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This case report describes complete hair regrowth in a patient with alopecia universalis and improved psoriasis after treatment with the oral Janus kinase inhibitor, tofacitinib.