‘Monumental’ breakthrough for thousands of alopecia patients as watchdogs approve drug that WINS hair loss
Thousands of adults and teenagers with severe hair loss will benefit from a breakthrough treatment that can trigger regrowth in just six months.
In what has been described as a ‘monumental day’ for patients with alopecia areata, the Medicines Watch 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 on the NHS.
One of the more common causes of hair loss, it is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the hair follicles.
Ritlecitinib is part of a family of medicines known as janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which work by suppressing the immune system.
Last year, Louis Theroux revealed that he had shaved off his eyebrows in response to facial hair loss from a form of alopecia. The documentary producer posted photos and a video of him shaving his face on Instagram, saying: “I want to know how I’m going to continue a career that’s pretty much based on raising and lowering different eyebrows without eyebrows”
American actress Jada Pinkett Smith also suffers from the condition, which came to global attention when host 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 medicines known as janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which work by suppressing the immune system. Taken as a daily pill, it works by reducing the enzymes that cause inflammation and subsequent hair loss at the follicle. Made by Pfizer, it has been recommended by NICE as an option for treating severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 and over
Taken as a daily pill, it works by reducing the enzymes that cause inflammation and subsequent hair loss at the follicle.
Manufactured by Pfizer, it has been recommended by NICE as an option for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 and over.
Sue Schilling, chief executive 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 gone without an approved treatment option available through NHS pathways.
‘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 solving this problem.’
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 taking the drug, compared with 1.5 percent of those who received a placebo.
Almost half of those treated with ritlecitinib reported “moderate” to “great” improvement in their hair loss.
About 2 percent, or 1 in 50, of the population will experience alopecia at some point in their lifetime, with about 1 in every 4,000 developing alopecia areata each year.
It can start at any age, but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to loss of hair on parts of the body, including eyelashes and eyebrows, nose hair and skin hair.
This leaves people more vulnerable to infection and reduces a person’s ability to regulate body temperature.
The hair follicles are not destroyed but remain dormant, making regrowth possible 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 once-a-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 from a form of alopecia.
Posting pictures and a video of him shaving his face on Instagram, the documentary maker said: ‘I want to know how I’m going to continue a career that is largely based on raising and lowering different eyebrows without any eyebrows.’
American actress Jada Pinkett Smith also suffers from the condition, which came to global attention when host Chris Rock joked about it at the Oscars and was slapped on stage by her husband, Will Smith.
The drug had been rejected on cost grounds in September last year, but has now been given the go-ahead following negotiations in which it is understood a significant discount was agreed.
Helen Knight, director of medicine 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 am delighted that we are now able to recommend this innovative treatment, the first time a drug for severe alopecia areata has been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS.”
Lynn Clay, Specialty Care Lead, Pfizer UK, said: ‘Alopecia areata can have a psychological impact on adults and young people living with the condition.
‘Today’s decision is an important milestone for eligible patients with severe hair loss from alopecia areata to help them access treatment.