The first pill to treat adults with severe alopecia was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday.
Olumiant (baricitinib) is the first FDA-approved alopecia therapy that treats the entire body rather than a specific spot, the agency said in a news release announcing the approval.
“Access to safe and effective treatment options is crucial for the significant number of Americans affected by severe alopecia,” Dr. Kendall Marcus, director of the Division of Dermatology and Dentistry in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA, said in the news release. “Today’s approval will help fulfill a significant unmet need for patients with severe alopecia areata.”
