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Clinical Trial
. 2008 Mar;58(3):395-402.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2007.10.645.

Subcutaneous efalizumab is not effective in the treatment of alopecia areata

Vera H Price  1 , Maria K Hordinsky, Elise A Olsen, Janet L Roberts, Elaine C Siegfried, Elyse S Rafal, Neil J Korman, Basel Altrabulsi, Hoi M Leung, Marvin R Garovoy, Ivor Caro, David A Whiting
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Subcutaneous efalizumab is not effective in the treatment of alopecia areata

Vera H Price et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Efalizumab is a T-cell-targeted therapy approved for the treatment of psoriasis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of efalizumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe AA.

Methods: Sixty-two patients were enrolled into this phase II, placebo-controlled trial. The trial consisted of three 12-week periods-a double-blind treatment period, an open-label efalizumab treatment period, and a safety follow-up.

Results: There were no statistical differences between treatment groups in percent hair regrowth, quality-of-life measures, or changes in biologic markers of disease severity after 12 or 24 weeks. In both groups, there was an approximately 8% response rate for hair regrowth (at 12 weeks). Efalizumab was well tolerated.

Limitations: Numbers were too small for certain analyses.

Conclusion: A 3- to 6-month trial of efalizumab was not effective in promoting hair regrowth in this small cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe AA.

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