Upadacitinib helped regrow hair in severe alopecia areata: Phase 3 trial results
Upadacitinib has shown significant results in people with severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss. In two Phase 3 clinical trials, some patients regrew most of their scalp hair within 24 weeks of treatment.
Alopecia areata develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. Upadacitinib targets specific immune signaling pathways and is already used to treat several inflammatory conditions.
More than half of patients achieved at least 80% scalp hair coverage
The two trials included 1,399 participants aged 12 to 64 with severe alopecia areata. Patients received either 15 mg or 30 mg of upadacitinib daily, or a placebo.
After 24 weeks, approximately 54–55% of participants receiving the 30 mg dose achieved at least 80% scalp hair coverage. Around 45% of those taking 15 mg reached the same threshold, compared with only 1.5–3.4% in the placebo groups.
Some participants experienced nearly complete hair regrowth. The trial results were published in JAMA Dermatology.
However, upadacitinib should not be considered a universal treatment for hair loss. The trials evaluated results over 24 weeks, and longer-term effectiveness and safety still need to be assessed.
