Alopecia Areata: Treatments in the Developmental Pipeline

Ali Jabari discusses emerging treatments for alopecia areata, focusing on advancements in the developmental pipeline. The understanding of alopecia areata has significantly improved over the last 10-15 years, leading to the exploration of Janus kinase (Jak) inhibitors, such as baricitinib and ritlasitinib, which have shown efficacy in clinical trials but are not suitable for all patients due to incomplete responses, side effects, and contraindications. Jabari highlights three new treatment candidates: Benbika Bart, an anti-IL-7 receptor alpha antibody, which showed positive results in a Phase 2A trial and will undergo further expansion; Respeg Aldous Lukin, a pegylated human IL-2 complex that activates regulatory T cells, currently in a Phase 2B trial; and Amlatilimab, an anti-OX40 ligand antibody that blocks co-stimulatory signals to T effector cells, with ongoing assessments in atopic dermatitis showing its potential. Despite the success of Jak inhibitors, their limitations prompt the search for diverse mechanisms in treatment, making this an exciting period for research and development in alopecia areata therapies.