Occasionally you may see stories on the news about promising studies regarding the use of JAK Inhibitors for the treatment of hair loss. JAK Inhibitors are a type of medication that inhibit one or more of the Janus kinase family of enzymes. There are two FDA approved JAK Inhibitors on the market today, one for the treatment of blood diseases and one for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. One such study was presented this month at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Paris.
The study was presented by Rodney Sinclair, MD and was a Phase IIA study that focused in the safety and efficacy of an oral JAK Inhibitor for the treatment of alopecia areata. Overall the study was promising for patients with alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, and alopecia universalis as the mean Severity Score of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score improved in all groups. One concern with the use of oral JAK Inhibitors are the potential for serious side effects, and two subjects of the study did get Rhabdomylosis, a serious muscle condition, which did reverse once stopping the medication.
What does this mean for patients experiencing alopecia areata? It is important to understand that as this was only a Phase IIA study, so more studies must be completed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of JAK Inhibitors for the treatment of alopecia areata. However, hopefully with more studies there is the potential for a medication that could help in the treatment of alopecia areata.
Posted by your Medi Tresse Team
