US Approves First Pill for Treatment of Alopecia

Alopecia, which is driven by the immune system attacking hair follicles, has recently come to the fore through high profile cases including Hollywood actress Jada Pinkett Smith, pictured here with her husband Will Smith Mike Coppola GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a drug called baricitinib as the first oral tablet for treating severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder affecting more than 300,000 people in the United States every year.

Alopecia causes either temporary or permanent patchy hair loss that can affect any hair-bearing site of the body, leading to emotional distress. The condition has come to the fore recently through high-profile cases including Hollywood actress Jada Pinkett Smith and congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.