TLDR The drug Olumiant is now approved to treat severe hair loss from alopecia and can also be used for some hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Eli Lilly's rheumatoid arthritis drug, Olumiant (baricitinib), has been approved as the first systemic treatment for severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition causing hair loss. Olumiant is a daily pill and had also received emergency use authorization from the FDA in May for treating certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
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March 2019 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
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November 2018 in “JAAD case reports” Alopecia areata can sometimes appear as a straight line of hair loss instead of round patches.
May 2018 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” Combining platelet-rich plasma therapy with prostaglandin-F eye drops can significantly regrow hair in alopecia universalis.
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December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Alopecia areata is a genetic and immune-related hair loss condition that is often associated with other autoimmune diseases and does not typically cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
