A Phase 2a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Janus Kinase Inhibitors Ritlecitinib and Brepocitinib in Alopecia Areata: 24-Week Results

The study assessed the efficacy and safety of the oral Janus kinase inhibitors ritlecitinib and brepocitinib in 142 patients with alopecia areata (AA) with ≥ 50% scalp hair loss over 24 weeks. Both treatments significantly improved hair regrowth compared to placebo, with brepocitinib showing a greater mean difference in SALT score change from baseline. Specifically, 50% of patients on ritlecitinib and 64% on brepocitinib achieved a 30% improvement in SALT score, compared to only 2% in the placebo group. The treatments were generally well tolerated, although two serious adverse events (rhabdomyolysis) occurred in the brepocitinib group. The study concluded that both drugs were effective and safe for treating AA, highlighting the potential of JAK inhibitors in treating the condition, but noted limitations such as demographic representation and the need for longer-term studies.