Olumiant has been developed and is being produced by US based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company.

People with alopecia areata lose hair – often in lumps – because the autoimmune condition causes their body to attack their hair follicles. The way Olumiant works is by blocking the activity of one or more of a specific family of enzymes, interfering with the pathway that leads to inflammation, explained the FDA. To be more precise, Olumiant is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor.

What did the clinical trials find?

Two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of the drug. In both trials, participants included patients with 50 percent scalp hair loss as measured for more than six months.

Are there any side effects of the drug?

In the clinical trials, the most common side effects that were noted were, Upper respiratory tract infections Headache Acne High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) Increase of an enzyme called creatinine phosphokinase that can increase the risk of urinary tract infections, and kidney stones Inflammation of hair follicles (folliculitis) Fatigue Lower respiratory tract infections Nausea Genital yeast infections Anaemia Weight increase. Apart from these, according to the US FDA, Olumiant also comes with a boxed warning for serious infections, mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events and thrombosis.

No, although this is the first time the drug has been tested in, and approved for the treatment of alopecia areata, it has been around for a few years now. Olumiant was first approved in 2018 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Is it available in India?

The drug Olumiant meant for rheumatoid arthritis is available in India.

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US FDA Approves First Drug for Hair Growth in Patients With Severe Alopecia

This is the first oral treatment for Alopecia – a hair loss causing condition – to be approved by the US FDA.

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Published: 14 Jun 2022, 6:06 PM IST

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first oral tablet to counter alopecia areata, the health authority annoucned on 13 June.

A statement released by the US FDA said that the drug, baricitinib, sold under the brand name of Olumiant, is an oral tablet that has been approved to treat severe alopecia areata in adult patients.

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US FDA Approves First Drug for Hair Growth in Patients With Severe Alopecia

This is the first oral treatment for Alopecia – a hair loss causing condition – to be approved by the US FDA.

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Topics: Alopecia