A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ivarmacitinib (SHR0302) in adult patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a CD8+ T cell-mediated autoimmune disease characterized by nonscarring hair loss. Ivarmacitinib, which is a selective oral Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, may interrupt certain cytokine signaling implicated in the pathogenesis of AA.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ivarmacitinib in adult patients with AA who have ≥25% scalp hair loss.

Methods: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1:1:1 to receive ivarmacitinib 2, 4, or 8 mg once daily or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary end point was the percentage change from baseline in the Severity of Alopecia Tool score at week 24.

Results: A total of 94 patients were randomized. At week 24, the least squares mean difference in the percentage change from baseline in the Severity of Alopecia Tool score for ivarmacitinib 2, 4, and 8 mg and placebo groups were -30.51% (90% CI, -45.25, -15.76), -56.11% (90% CI, -70.28, -41.95), -51.01% (90% CI, -65.20, -36.82), and -19.87% (90% CI, -33.99, -5.75), respectively. Two serious adverse events-follicular lymphoma and COVID-19 pneumonia-were reported.

Limitations: A small sample size limits the generalizability of the results.

Conclusion: Treatment with ivarmacitinib 4 and 8 mg doses in patients with moderate and severe AA for 24 weeks was efficacious and generally tolerated.

Keywords: AA; ARQ-252; ARQ-255; JAK; JAK inhibitor; JAK1; Janus kinase inhibitor; SHR0302; alopecia; alopecia areata; autoimmune disease; efficacy; hair loss; ivarmacitinib; phase 2; safety.