FDA Approves New Drug Olumiant for Alopecia Areata

Hair Loss Treatment

By Emel Gerdaneri • Medical review by Emphair Hair Transplant

FDA Approves New Drug Olumiant for Alopecia Areata

Researchers say the drug Olumiant has performed well in clinical trials for the treatment of alopecia areata. We asked the details of the subject to Emphair Hair Transplantation Center:
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“Yes, the FDA has approved this drug. Now alopecia areata is a condition that can cause hair loss. In fact, when we look at the United States data, we observe that there is a situation that affects more than 2 million people, and this situation is not to be underestimated in our country.

Most of the time, this condition causing hair loss is treated with topical treatments or steroid injections.

We Can Treat It With This Drug

alopesi treatmentOlumiant may be the first of such drugs to treat this condition. As I said before, we could only treat alopecia with topical and injectable steroids.

But while injectable steroids are effective, they can be incredibly painful. With this landmark approval from Olumiant, we can now treat alopecia areata with one pill.

This is an exciting development, especially for those with widespread hair loss where hundreds of injections into the scalp and face are impractical.

It Turned Out To Be Beneficial

beneficialIt is a systemic drug, previously approved for some people with rheumatoid arthritis and some hospitalized COVID-19 patients. It treats the entire body rather than targeting a specific location.

Olumiant, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, is available in 2 mg oral tablets and blocks the activity of one or more families of enzymes by interfering with the inflammatory pathway.

Let's Review Participants and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

clinical trialIn trial 1, 184 participants received 2 mg of Olumiant, 281 participants received 5 mg of the drug, and 189 participants received placebo.

The results showed that 22 percent of those who took the 2 mg and 35 percent of those who took the 4 mg achieved adequate scalp coverage, compared to the 5 percent who took the placebo.

In trial 2, 156 participants received 2 mg, 234 received 4 mg, and 156 participants received placebo. Results were similar to the first trial – 17 percent of those taking the 2 mg and 32 percent of those taking the 4 mg achieved satisfactory results compared to 3 percent of those taking the placebo.

The Most Common Side Effects Of The Drug Are:

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  • Upper respiratory tract infections

  • Headache

  • Acne

  • High cholesterol

  • Increased creatinine phosphokinase

  • burnout

  • Urinary tract infection

  • Elevation of liver enzymes

  • Folliculitis

  • Lower respiratory tract infections

  • Nausea

  • genital yeast infections

  • Anemia

  • Stomach ache

  • Shingles

  • Getting fat

It's also worth noting that the FDA has approved the drug with a black box warning. Anyone starting this medication should be aware of the side effects and should contact their doctor if symptoms occur.

What is Alopecia Areata?

alopecia areataAlopecia is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack hair follicles, sometimes causing clumps of hair loss.

It affects many people and causes sudden hair loss, which is manifested by one or more circular bald patches on the scalp. It often occurs when patients experience severe stress.

Most, if not all, patients with alopecia are healthy and do not experience any serious complications or problems from the disease. People with a family history of the disease have a slightly higher risk of contracting the disease.

The condition most often occurs during childhood or adolescence. Hair loss can be unpredictable and may reappear within 12 months. When it grows back, it can occur again.

There Are Three Main Types Of Alopecia Areata:

alopesi areata

  • Alopecia areata results in patchy baldness on the scalp, beard areas, eyebrows, armpits, or inside the nose or ears.

  • Alopecia totalis, in which the person loses all the hair on their head

  • Alopecia universalis is the condition in which a person loses all the hair on their body. This type is the rarest form.”


Written on 30/06/2022

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Last Update: 30/06/2022

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