TLDR Ritlecitinib effectively regrows scalp, eyebrow, and eyelash hair in Asians with alopecia areata and is safe.
The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ritlecitinib, a JAK3/TEC family kinase inhibitor, in the Asian subpopulation with severe alopecia areata over 24 months. Participants received either a 50 mg dose or a 200 mg loading dose followed by 50 mg. At Month 12, 51.7% of the 50-mg group and 44.7% of the 200/50-mg group achieved significant scalp hair regrowth, with similar results at Month 24. Eyebrow and eyelash regrowth responses were also observed, with 74.0% and 65.1% of the 50-mg group showing improvement at Month 12, respectively. The safety profile was acceptable, and the efficacy was consistent with the overall population. The study included 58 participants in the 50-mg group and 47 in the 200/50-mg group.
35 citations
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November 2022 in “The Journal of Dermatology” Alopecia areata is becoming more common in Japan, with a need for better treatments, especially for severe and pediatric cases.
95 citations
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November 2018 in “Australasian journal of dermatology” Alopecia areata treatment varies, with no optimal method established yet.
37 citations
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December 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings” Black and Hispanic women are more likely to have alopecia areata than white women.
162 citations
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October 2014 in “Autoimmunity reviews” Alopecia areata is caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles.
141 citations
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March 2011 in “Journal of Dermatology” Eczema and fungal infections are the most common skin problems in Japan, with different age groups and genders affected by various conditions.
36 citations
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December 2021 in “The journal of allergy and clinical immunology/Journal of allergy and clinical immunology/The journal of allergy and clinical immunology” Two drugs, ritlecitinib and brepocitinib, improved scalp hair loss condition markers.
4 citations
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May 2025 in “Frontiers in Immunology” JAK inhibitors effectively and safely treat alopecia areata with few serious side effects.
January 2023 in “Indian Dermatology Online Journal” No single ideal JAK inhibitor for alopecia areata has been determined; JAK3 inhibitors may be promising with fewer side effects.
May 2025 in “Frontiers in Pharmacology” New treatments are needed for non-scarring alopecia due to current limitations.
August 2024 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” Upadacitinib and narrowband UVB effectively treated a child's vitiligo and alopecia areata.
April 2024 in “Bioactive materials” New microneedle treatment with growth factors and a hair loss drug shows better and faster hair growth results than current treatments.
