Thousands of adults and teens with severe hair loss will benefit from a breakthrough treatment that can produce hair growth in just six months.
In what has been described as a ‘monumental day’ for patients with alopecia areata, the medicines watchdog has approved a drug found to reverse the condition in one in five patients.
Characterized by patches of baldness, this is the first routine treatment recommended for use by the NHS.
One of the most common causes of hair loss is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the hair follicles.
Ritlecitinib is part of a family of drugs known as Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which work by dampening the immune system.
Last year, Louis Theroux revealed that he had shaved off his eyebrows in response to facial hair loss due to a form of alopecia. The documentary filmmaker posted photos and a video of himself shaving his face on Instagram and joked: “I’d like to know how to continue a career that is largely based on raising and lowering several eyebrows without any eyebrows at all.”
American actress Jada Pinkett Smith also suffers from the condition, which came to worldwide attention when presenter Chris Rock joked about it at the Oscars and was punched on stage by her husband, Will Smith.
Ritlecitinib is part of a family of drugs known as Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which work by dampening the immune system. When taken as a daily pill, it works by reducing the enzymes that cause inflammation and subsequent hair loss in the follicle. Made by Pfizer and recommended by NICE as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years and over
When taken as a daily pill, it works by reducing the enzymes that cause inflammation and subsequent hair loss in the follicle.
It is made by Pfizer and is recommended by NICE as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 years and over.
Sue Schilling, CEO of the charity Alopecia UK, said: ‘This is a monumental day for the alopecia areata community.
‘For far too long, patients with alopecia areata have not had a recognized treatment option available through the NHS.
‘If new treatments are only available privately, it becomes a case of ‘haves and the have nots’. This latest NICE recommendation will go some way to addressing this.”
Results from a large study published last year showed that 13 percent of patients achieved 90 percent or more coverage of scalp hair after 24 weeks of using the drug, compared to 1.5 percent of those given a placebo.
Nearly half of those treated with ritlecitinib reported a ‘moderate’ to ‘great’ improvement in their hair loss.
About 2 percent, or 1 in 50, of the population will suffer from alopecia at some point in their lives, with about 1 in 4,000 developing alopecia areata each year.
It can start at any age but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to a lack of hair on parts of the body including eyelashes and eyebrows, nose hair and hair on the skin.
This makes people more vulnerable to infections and reduces a person’s ability to regulate body temperature.
Hair follicles are not destroyed but go dormant, allowing regrowth, with the extent and duration of hair loss varying greatly from person to person.
Thousands of people with severe hair loss due to alopecia areata will benefit from a new one-day tablet to help treat the condition
Last year, Louis Theroux revealed that he had shaved off his eyebrows in response to facial hair loss due to a form of alopecia.
The documentary filmmaker posted photos and a video of him shaving his face on Instagram and joked, “I’d like to know how to continue a career that is largely based on raising and lowering several eyebrows without any eyebrows at all.”
American actress Jada Pinkett Smith also suffers from the condition, which came to worldwide attention when host Chris Rock joked about it at the Oscars and was punched on stage by her husband, Will Smith.
The drug was rejected on cost grounds in September last year but has now been given the green light following negotiations, during which a significant discount was reportedly agreed.
Helen Knight, director of drug evaluation at NICE, said: ‘Our committee heard how severe alopecia areata can have a significant impact on people’s health and quality of life.
‘I’m delighted that we can now recommend this innovative treatment, the first time NICE has recommended a drug for severe alopecia areata for use in the NHS.’
Lynn Clay, Specialty Care Lead at Pfizer UK, said: ‘Alopecia areata can have a psychological impact on adults and adolescents living with the condition.
‘Today’s decision is an important milestone for patients with severe hair loss due to alopecia areata who are eligible to access treatment.