LILLY'S OLUMIANT® (BARICITINIB) NOW AUTHORIZED IN CANADA FOR ADULTS WITH SEVERE ALOPECIA AREATA
- 17-22% of patients taking OLUMIANT 2 mg/day and 32-35% of patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg/day achieved 80% or more scalp hair coverage, compared to 3-5% taking placebo.
- Additionally, 11-13% of patients taking OLUMIANT 2 mg/day and 24-26% of patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg/day achieved 90% or more hair coverage, compared to 1-4% of patients taking placebo.
- Among patients with substantial eyebrow and eyelash hair loss at baseline, improvements in eyebrow and eyelash coverage were seen for patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg daily at 36 weeks.
"We are excited by the ground-breaking announcement of a new treatment option for alopecia areata. This development offers a ray of hope to our community members who suffer from the devastating impacts associated with alopecia areata," said
"The impact of alopecia areata on patients who suffer from the disease is very much underappreciated. There has been a paucity of treatment options for our patients suffering from alopecia areata until now," said Dr.
"There is a significant unmet medical need for people living with alopecia areata in
About Alopecia Areata (AA)
Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune hair loss disorder. It affects people of all age groups and ethnicities. The disease is unpredictable and can initially present as small, well-defined patches of hair loss on the scalp, to complete loss of scalp and body hair. While the causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood, it is believed to be the result of complex immune signals that change the hair growth cycle, resulting in hair loss. Alopecia areata is a non-scarring alopecia, meaning that the hair follicles are not destroyed, and they are capable of regrowing hair if the autoimmune response is suppressed.3
About the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 trials
The approval of OLUMIANT (baricitinib) for alopecia areata was based on Lilly's BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 Phase 3 clinical trials, valuating the efficacy and safety of OLUMIANT in 1,200 adult patients with severe AA (≥50% scalp hair loss as defined by a Severity of Alopecia Tool [SALT] score ≥50).1
The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving SALT ≤20 (i.e., 80% or more scalp hair coverage) at Week 36.1 Across the studies at 36 weeks, 17-22% of patients taking OLUMIANT 2 mg/day and 32-35% of patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg/day achieved 80% or more scalp hair coverage, compared to 3-5% taking placebo.1 Additionally, 11-13% of patients taking OLUMIANT 2 mg/day and 24-26% of patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg/day achieved 90% or more hair coverage, compared to 1-4% of patients taking placebo; SALT ≤10 (90% or more scalp hair coverage) result for OLUMIANT 2 mg/day was not statistically significant under the multiplicity control testing plan for BRAVE-AA2.1 Among patients with substantial eyebrow and eyelash hair loss at baseline, improvements in eyebrow and eyelash coverage were seen for patients taking OLUMIANT 4 mg daily at 36 weeks.1
The BRAVE-AA clinical program also evaluated the safety profile of OLUMIANT.1 The most common adverse events in the baricitinib-exposed patients up to 36 weeks, reported by >2% of patients and at a higher incidence versus placebo, were as follows: upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, headache, acne, increased blood creatine phosphokinase (CPK, blood marker related to the muscle), urinary tract infection, hypertension, pruritus (itching), fatigue and folliculitis (inflammation of hair follicles).1
Safety Warning
The
For important safety information, please consult the OLUMIANT Product Monograph.
About OLUMIANT
OLUMIANT, a once-daily oral medication, was discovered by Incyte and licensed to Lilly. In
OLUMIANT is believed to interfere with the activity of enzymes called Janus kinases (JAK). Normally JAK enzymes help turn on the immune system when it is needed. However, the overactive immune system can cause inflammation. There are four known JAK enzymes: JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. JAK-dependent cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including alopecia areata. OLUMIANT has greater inhibitory potency at JAK1, JAK2 and TYK2 relative to JAK3; however, the relevance of inhibition of specific JAK enzymes to therapeutic effectiveness is not currently known.
In alopecia areata, OLUMIANT works by reducing the activity of JAK enzymes, which are involved in inflammation. By reducing the activity of JAK enzymes, OLUMIANT helps hair to regrow on scalp, in eyebrows, and in eyelashes impacted by alopecia areata.
About Lilly Canada
OLUMIANT is a registered trademark owned or licensed to
References:
- OLUMIANT® Product Monograph,
Eli Lilly Canada Inc. ,January 26, 2024 - Gilding A, Ho N, Pope E, Sibbald C. The Burden of Disease in Alopecia Areata:
Canadian Online Survey of Patients and Caregivers. JMIR Dermatol 2022;5(4):e39167.URL: https://derma.jmir.org/2022/4/e39167 DOI: 10.2196/39167 - The Canadian Alopecia Areata Foundation (CANAAF) (2002). What is Alopecia Areata? Retrieved
January 2024 from: https://www.canaaf.org/about-alopecia-areata/
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