A Cost-Per-Responder Analysis of Ritlecitinib vs Baricitinib in Severe Alopecia Areata
June 2026
in “
Journal of health economics and outcomes research
”
TLDR Ritlecitinib is more effective and cheaper than baricitinib for treating severe alopecia areata.
The study conducted a cost-per-responder analysis comparing ritlecitinib and baricitinib for treating severe alopecia areata. Ritlecitinib, a JAK3/TEC inhibitor, showed greater efficacy and a lower cost per responder than baricitinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor, at both Weeks 24 and 52. Specifically, 52.10% of ritlecitinib initiators achieved a significant response by Week 24 compared to 36.28% for baricitinib. By Week 52, 40.26% of ritlecitinib users reached the desired outcome versus 30.63% for baricitinib. The cost per responder was lower for ritlecitinib at both time points, suggesting it may be a more cost-effective option for inclusion in treatment plans for severe alopecia areata.