Brittany Craiglow, MD

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that affects 2% of the population. Janus kinase (JAK) signaling has been shown to improve outcomes for many patients with severe AA, as outlined by Dr Brittany Craiglow, associate professor adjunct, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr Craiglow reports that in AA, hair loss can be caused by key cytokines, including interleukin 15 and interferon gamma. These cytokines use the JAK-STAT pathway to transmit their signal. JAK inhibitors, which interfere with that pathway, are showing to be an effective treatment that can lead to hair growth.

Two JAK inhibitors have received US Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of severe AA. Oral JAK1/2 inhibitor baricitinib has been approved for patients aged 18 years or older. The oral JAK3 inhibitor ritlecitinib has been approved for patients aged 12 years or older.

Dr Craiglow looks at clinical trials involving these JAK inhibitors. The results show that patients are more likely to respond to treatment earlier in the disease process. The study also found that patients with less severe hair loss (50%-94%) respond better than did those with severe hair loss.

Finally, Dr Craiglow explores the topic of JAK inhibitor selection. She notes that different medications will hit different JAK proteins, the failure of one JAK inhibitor does not always predict failure of another. Dr Craiglow points to current efficacy of these targeted therapies and expresses optimism about the future of personalized medicine in treating patients with severe AA.

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Brittany Craiglow, MD, Associate Professor Adjunct, Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

Brittany Craiglow, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:

Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant, or trustee for:

AbbVie; BiologicsMD; Dermavant; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme; Sun Pharmaceuticals

Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speaker’s bureau for: AbbVie; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that affects 2% of the population. Janus kinase (JAK) signaling has been shown to improve outcomes for many patients with severe AA, as outlined by Dr Brittany Craiglow, associate professor adjunct, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr Craiglow reports that in AA, hair loss can be caused by key cytokines, including interleukin 15 and interferon gamma. These cytokines use the JAK-STAT pathway to transmit their signal. JAK inhibitors, which interfere with that pathway, are showing to be an effective treatment that can lead to hair growth.

Two JAK inhibitors have received US Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of severe AA. Oral JAK1/2 inhibitor baricitinib has been approved for patients aged 18 years or older. The oral JAK3 inhibitor ritlecitinib has been approved for patients aged 12 years or older.

Dr Craiglow looks at clinical trials involving these JAK inhibitors. The results show that patients are more likely to respond to treatment earlier in the disease process. The study also found that patients with less severe hair loss (50%-94%) respond better than did those with severe hair loss.

Finally, Dr Craiglow explores the topic of JAK inhibitor selection. She notes that different medications will hit different JAK proteins, the failure of one JAK inhibitor does not always predict failure of another. Dr Craiglow points to current efficacy of these targeted therapies and expresses optimism about the future of personalized medicine in treating patients with severe AA.

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Brittany Craiglow, MD, Associate Professor Adjunct, Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

Brittany Craiglow, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:

Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant, or trustee for:

AbbVie; BiologicsMD; Dermavant; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme; Sun Pharmaceuticals

Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speaker’s bureau for: AbbVie; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that affects 2% of the population. Janus kinase (JAK) signaling has been shown to improve outcomes for many patients with severe AA, as outlined by Dr Brittany Craiglow, associate professor adjunct, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr Craiglow reports that in AA, hair loss can be caused by key cytokines, including interleukin 15 and interferon gamma. These cytokines use the JAK-STAT pathway to transmit their signal. JAK inhibitors, which interfere with that pathway, are showing to be an effective treatment that can lead to hair growth.

Two JAK inhibitors have received US Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of severe AA. Oral JAK1/2 inhibitor baricitinib has been approved for patients aged 18 years or older. The oral JAK3 inhibitor ritlecitinib has been approved for patients aged 12 years or older.

Dr Craiglow looks at clinical trials involving these JAK inhibitors. The results show that patients are more likely to respond to treatment earlier in the disease process. The study also found that patients with less severe hair loss (50%-94%) respond better than did those with severe hair loss.

Finally, Dr Craiglow explores the topic of JAK inhibitor selection. She notes that different medications will hit different JAK proteins, the failure of one JAK inhibitor does not always predict failure of another. Dr Craiglow points to current efficacy of these targeted therapies and expresses optimism about the future of personalized medicine in treating patients with severe AA.

--

Brittany Craiglow, MD, Associate Professor Adjunct, Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut

Brittany Craiglow, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:

Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant, or trustee for:

AbbVie; BiologicsMD; Dermavant; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme; Sun Pharmaceuticals

Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speaker’s bureau for: AbbVie; Incyte; Eli Lilly; Pfizer; Regeneron; Sanofi-Genzyme