First FDA-Approved Drug for Alopecia Areata

The slap incident that took place at the Oscar award ceremony held last March is still fresh in the memory of many of us. Let’s make a short reminder for those who forgot. Famous actor Will Smith, who received an award at the Oscar ceremony; The presenter, who made jokes about his wife, Jada Pinkett, slapped Chris Rock and left his mark on the night not with the award he received, but with the slap he threw. Alopecia areata, which is a joke material, which is known by everyone, came to the agenda at least as much as the slap incident and was talked about for a long time.
Jada Pinkett experienced sudden hair loss due to alopecia areata and found the remedy by shaving her hair. However; alopecia areata is not just hair; a disease that also targets eyebrows, eyelashes, beard or other hairy areas of the body. These irregular and unpredictable regional spills are thought to be triggered by autoimmune diseases. In addition, it can occur as a result of emotional traumas and intense stress. The underlying causes must be investigated. Alopecia areata is also an aesthetic problem that can have devastating psychological effects.

Unfortunately, alopecia areata, which varies in terms of its causes, does not have the same treatment option. Although there is no scientifically proven treatment to date, there have been many scientific and experimental studies conducted on this disease for many years. In some cases, the hair, eyebrows and eyelashes of the patients can return spontaneously within 2 years without any intervention. However, this process can also turn into a psychological trauma that reduces the quality of life of people.
Recently, there has been a pleasing development in the treatment of alopecia areata. The good news for all alopecia areata victims came from the FDA. As a result of research and experiments, a tablet that was found to work in severe cases of alopecia areata was approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of ringworm disease. The drug, produced by the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is sold under the name Olumiant (Baricitinib).

Is Baricitinib a Baldness Medicine?

In fact, Baricitinib is a drug used in rheumatic joint inflammation and sold under the brand name Olumiant. As a result of a study conducted in the USA, it was determined that Baricitinib shortens the recovery period in covid-19 cases; Japan also approved the use of this drug in the treatment of covid-19. In other words, Baricitinib was among the drugs approved for emergency use by the FDA at the beginning of the pandemic process. Olumiant (Baricitinib), which is used in the treatment of rheumatic joint inflammation, has also started to be used in the treatment of covid-19. Finally, the FDA has approved this drug as the first systematic treatment for severe alopecia areata; approved for use in adults in pill form 1 time per day.
Baricitinib is a JAK inhibitor used to treat resistant rheumatoid arthritis. It blocks JAK1 and JAK2 subtypes. A comprehensive study was conducted to determine whether this drug could be effective in the treatment of ringworm. The experimental research, which resulted in FDA approval, was carried out with the participation of 1200 people. The results obtained in the 36-week studies are shared as follows:

• 17-22% of patients taking 2mg Olumiant (Baricitinib) daily
• 32-35% of patients receiving 4mg of Olumiant (Baricitinib) daily

It has been found that she has regained 80% or more of her hair. Among the cases with significant loss of eyebrows and eyelashes at the beginning, it was observed that the eyebrows and eyelashes returned to a large extent in patients who took the drug 4mg per day after 36 weeks.
Nicole Friedland, President of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation; considers it a promising turning point for alopecia areata patients, who face new challenges every day due to the lack of treatment options. Regulatory decisions are expected for Baricitinib, which is the first FDA-approved systematic treatment in alopecia areata.