Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Alopecia Areata in Adults and Adolescents

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease affecting people of all ages. There is currently no cure for AA, and a highly efficacious therapy for severe AA has been elusive. Recently, scientific advances have identified the Janus kinase pathway as a target for treatment. Both Janus kinase inhibitors approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, tofacitinib and ruxolitinib, have shown promise in open-label clinical trials. This review summarizes the results of long-term use of tofacitinib in severe AA.