An Arthritis Drug Could Be an Unexpected Breakthrough for People With Severe Hair Loss

A Phase 3 trial reveals that upadacitinib, an arthritis drug, significantly aids hair regrowth in severe alopecia areata patients (Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Pexels)

An arthritis drug has shown significant hair-regrowth potential in people with severe alopecia areata, with a large Phase 3 trial finding that more than half of patients taking the higher dose regained at least 80% of their scalp hair within six months.

The drug, upadacitinib, is an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor already used to treat inflammatory conditions. New findings from two Phase 3 clinical trials, published in JAMA Dermatology on 12 August, suggest it could also offer a potential treatment option for adults and adolescents with severe alopecia areata.