Major advance in the treatment of alopecia areata: after adolescents, hope for children
This represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease responsible for reversible hair loss and/or body hair loss.
A drug, Baracitinib - a JAK pathway inhibitor - already approved for adults, has shown significant efficacy in adolescents (12-18 years) with a severe form of the disease, according to the results of an international phase 3 trial coordinated by the team of Professor Thierry Passeron, head of the dermatology department at the Nice University Hospital (Archet 2 hospital).
"A third of patients with the most severe forms (no hair at all) and more than 70% of those with 50 to 95% involvement had more than 80% scalp regrowth at 36 weeks," the dermatologist announced.
And, just as importantly: "The oral treatment, which was well tolerated, did not cause any unexpected side effects at the dosage used, which is the one already validated for eczema, a condition for which this medication is already available for children from the age of 2."
Given these results, according to the specialist, it is very likely that the American and European drug agencies will authorize in the coming months the marketing (and reimbursement) of the drug, extended to adolescents.
The only downside: Baracitinib is not curative; treatment must be maintained over the long term to avoid relapses, as is the case for other autoimmune diseases (psoriasis, eczema).
"It is possible that in the future, protocols will allow for interruption after one or two years of treatment, without relapse," predicts the specialist, while specifying that "data on this subject are still to come."
An extension to younger people starting this summerGiven the positive results observed in adolescents, a new study, coordinated by Professor Passeron, will be launched next summer for children aged 6 to 12 years old, suffering from alopecia areata affecting more than 50% of the scalp (1). Here, hope is even stronger, knowing that there is currently no other authorized treatment for this population.
"We are optimistic, the first results show that in young patients, the response to treatment seems even better than in adults."
And progress in the field of alopecia areata does not stop there, since "other treatments, targeting other pathways, are in development."
1. For any interested family, the pediatric trial is still open at the Nice University Hospital. You can contact the center at 04 92 03 62 25 or by email: [email protected]
Alopecia areata affects 2% of the population to varying degrees. And contrary to a (too) widespread belief, it is not a psychosomatic illness.
"Alopecia areata results from an autoimmune reaction, often triggered by various environmental factors: major stress, viral infections (such as Covid-19), hormonal changes, etc. In more than half of cases, it begins in childhood or adolescence and affects boys as much as girls. Nearly 10% of patients develop severe forms (more than 50% of the scalp affected). The disease progresses in flare-ups that can recur throughout life," explains Professor Passeron.
As with other autoimmune diseases, there has been an increase in cases of alopecia areata in Western countries for several years.
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