Oral JAK1/JAK2 Inhibitor May be Effective for Treating Moderate-to-Severe Alopecia Areata

Adults with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata who were treated with an oral Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor, CTP-543 (deuruxolitinib), had significant scalp hair regrowth when compared with those treated with placebo, according to the results of a recent study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2023 annual meeting.

The multinational double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, named THRIVE-AA1, is the first phase 3 clinical trial for CTP-543. Included were 706 patients aged 18 to 65 years with 50% or greater scalp hair loss, with their current episode of scalp hair loss lasting at least 6 months but no longer than 10 years. Participants underwent a 28-day screening period prior to treatment, the 24-week treatment period, and a 4-week safety follow-up period.

Scalp hair loss severity was measured by the participants’ Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores. The primary efficacy outcome of the study was a SALT score of 20 or less at week 24. The secondary efficacy outcomes included a SALT score of 20 or less at weeks 20, 16, and 8, a 75% reduction in SALT score from baseline, a 90% reduction in SALT score from baseline, and a SALT score of 10 or less at week 24.

The patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 8 mg, or 12 mg of CTP-543. A SALT score of 20 or greater at week 24, the primary endpoint, was met in both the 8 mg (29.6%) and 12 mg groups (41.9%). This was compared with 0.8% of the placebo group (p < .001). Further, 21% and 35% of the 8 mg and 12 mg groups, respectively, achieved a SALT score of 10 or less at week 24, compared with 0% in the placebo group (p < .001).

Significant differences between the placebo group and the dose groups were observed as early as 8 weeks (p < .001). The results indicated that the differences between both dose groups and placebo were significant for both relative change from baseline, as well as achievement of 75% and 90% improvement as early as week 12.

“Both doses of CTP-543 resulted in significant regrowth of scalp hair, starting as early as 8 weeks and continuing throughout the 24-week study period,” the researchers concluded. “The efficacy of CTP-543 in the treatment of moderate to severe alopecia areata is encouraging.”

Reference:

Senna MM, King B, Mesinkovska NA, Mostaghimi A, Hamilton C, Cassella J. Efficacy of the oral JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor CTP-543 (deuruxolitinib) in adult patients with moderate to severe alopecia areata: results from the multinational double-blind, placebo-controlled THRIVE-AA11 phase 3 trial. Poster presented at: American Academy of Dermatology’s 2023 annual meeting; March 17-21, 2023; New Orleans, LA. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://eposters.aad.org/abstracts/41701