The US FDA has approved the use of baricitinibregistered as olumiant by the pharmaceutical company Lilly, for the treatment against baldness areata.
It is a autoimmune disease that causes hair loss in a very characteristic way: circular baldness and that not only occurs on the head but also in other areas of the body such as the beard.
Olumiant is therefore not indicated for the androgenic alopecia, which is him at 50 years old. And that also affects women, although the percentage is reduced to between 5 and 10%.
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“Access to safe and effective treatment options is crucial for the significant number of Americans affected (approximately 300,000) by this alopecia,” explains Dr. kendall marcusdirector of the division of dermatology and dentistry at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
This drug works as a Jano protein kinase inhibitor. It is dispensed in the form of pills (once a day) and has been shown to be effective in two clinical trials.
40% of the volunteers with severe alopecia achieved hair growth in the affected area after 36 weeks following the treatment.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that affects 2% of the world population.
On the other hand, 2.6% were forced to interrupt treatment due to their adverse events, although, according to the Food and Drug Administration, the side effects of the drug were mostly mild or moderate.
The most hopeful figure is that 80% achieved hair coverage at 52 weeks.
80% of the volunteers achieved total hair coverage. 2.6% had to interrupt treatment.
This could indicate that patients should wait between three and four months to see the first results. And the process could be extended to eight or nine months.
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“Today marks a milestone with the first FDA-approved systemic treatment for patients with alopecia areata, who face obstacles every day, including ignorance of the disease, lack of treatment options, and social stigma.” , points Nicole FriedlandPresident of the (NAAF).
According to this Foundation, alopecia areata affects 2% of the world population, both men and women. It can be associated with other diseases such as:
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Thyroid.
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Diabetes type 1.
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Allergies and asthma.
Other possible causes of the disease would be:
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Atopic dermatitis
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Psoriasis,
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systemic lupus erymatosus
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Vitiligo.
What are the symptoms of alopecia areata?
The main symptom is hair loss in round circlesexposing the scalp.
As it is a baldness whose evolution is unknown, it may not only affect the head. Hair can also fall from other areas of the body such as eyebrows, beard…
The medical diagnosis is based on a physical examination, of the nails and of the hair itself, to verify its weakness. A TSH test may also be performed: a blood test that measures levels of the thyroid gland.
Olumiant: arthritis drug
This drug was already used, since 2018, as a treatment for moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients.
Its approval against alopecia areata is due to its “efficacy and safety after being studied in two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials with placebo (Trial AA-1 and Trial AA-2) with patients who had at least 50% scalp hair loss for more than six months.”
And as already mentioned, Olumiant, like any other medication, is not free of side effects, so patients must follow a series of precautions and warnings, as it can cause:
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(allergic reactions).
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Gastrointestinal perforations (tears in the stomach or intestine).
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Low white and red blood cell counts, liver enzyme elevations, and lipid elevations.
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Headache.
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Acne.
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Inflammation of the hair follicles (folliculitis).
“Our mission is to improve the lives of people living with autoimmune diseases. And Olumiant’s approval is a historic moment. We are delighted with what it can mean for adults with severe alopecia areata,” he emphasizes. Patrick JohnsonPresident of Lilly Immunology.