At the end of January 2024, global healthcare leader Eli Lilly and Company shared that its therapy OLUMIANT (baricitinib) received regulatory approval in Canada for the treatment of severe alopecia areata. OLUMIANT is a once-daily oral tablet. Administered in either 2 or 4mg tablets, OLUMIANT reduces Janus kinase (JAK) enzymes. When JAK enzymes are overactive, it can cause inflammation throughout the body. By reducing the activity, OLUMIANT lowers inflammation and allows hair regrowth in areas of the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes affected by alopecia areata. OLUMIANT is also widely approved for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The approval in Canada follows results from the Phase 3 BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 studies. These studies sought to evaluate how safe and effective OLUMIANT was. 1,200 adult participants enrolled. Results from the study found that:
- 17-22% of people taking 2mg of this treatment saw 80%+ hair coverage on the scalp. This was compared to 32-35% of people taking 4mg of this treatment and just 3-5% who received the placebo.
- Additionally, 11-13% of those receiving 2mg and 24-26% receiving 4mg saw 90%+ scalp coverage. This was only seen in 1-4% of those who received the placebo, highlighting the significant benefits of OLUMIANT.
- The higher dose also conferred benefits in eyebrow and eyelash hair regrowth.
- While OLUMIANT is considered both safe and well-tolerated, some individuals did have side effects while taking the medications. These included the common cold, urinary tract or upper respiratory tract infections, itchiness, fatigue, folliculitis, headaches, and newly onset or worsening acne.
What is Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. This causes sudden and often patchy hair loss on the scalp, face, and occasionally other areas of the body. The hair loss differs from person-to-person. Some individuals may only have a few spots of hair loss, while others have much greater hair loss. In rarer cases, people may develop alopecia areata totalis (where all the hair on the head is lost) or alopecia areata universalis (where all the hair on the body is lost).
People of all ages, genders, and races can develop alopecia areata. Most people develop it in their teens or early adulthood. Your risk of developing alopecia areata also increases if you have another autoimmune disorder like lupus or thyroid disease, or if you have a family member who has this condition.
Outside of hair loss, people with alopecia areata may develop pitted or dented nails. This condition can also cause psychosocial distress, such as anxiety or depression.
If you have alopecia areata, you are not alone. Consider reaching out to the support groups offered by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.
