Results of Stage I in a Phase II Randomized Bilateral Comparison of Bexarotene 1% Topical Gel in Alopecia Areata

The document reports on the first stage of a phase II study evaluating the effectiveness of bexarotene 1% topical gel in treating alopecia areata (AA), a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease that can lead to hair loss. The study involved 21 patients (5 males and 16 females, including 4 with alopecia totalis, 2 with alopecia universalis, and 15 with AA) who applied the gel to one half of their scalp daily for 2 weeks, then twice daily for up to 24 weeks. Results showed that 4 patients experienced greater than 50% hair regrowth, 4 had minor regrowth, 9 had stable disease, 3 progressed despite treatment, and 1 withdrew. One patient with 99% alopecia for 4 years regrew 88% of her hair by week 8, and another with 78% alopecia achieved 50% regrowth by week 16. The treatment was well tolerated, with a response rate of 38% (8 out of 21 patients), and the most common side effects were erythema, scaling, and itching at the application site. The study was 25% sponsored by Ligand Pharmaceuticals.