The rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib could be a highly effective therapeutic option for patients with severe alopecia areata, according to results from two phase III trials.

International researchers — including several leading Australian dermatologists — say the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor resulted in significantly higher rates of hair regrowth compared with placebo.

Although the drug was associated with a higher rate of adverse events, clinicians say findings from the Eli Lilly-funded trials, conducted in 10 countries, are relevant given the limited treatments available for the autoimmune condition.

In the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 studies — the results of which were published together in the New England Journal of Medicine — recruited a total of 1200 adults aged 18-70 (about 60% women) with a Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score of 50 or higher.