Deucravacitinib, an Oral, Selective, Allosteric Tyrosine Kinase 2 Inhibitor, in Patients with Alopecia Areata: Efficacy and Safety Results of a Phase II, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

The phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of deucravacitinib, a TYK2 inhibitor, in 94 patients with alopecia areata. Patients were randomized to receive either a placebo or deucravacitinib at doses of 6 mg once or twice daily. The primary endpoint was the change in the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score at Week 24. The trial was terminated early for strategic reasons, not due to efficacy or safety concerns. Results showed no meaningful difference in SALT score changes between deucravacitinib and placebo groups, and no differences in secondary endpoints were observed. The safety profile was consistent with known data, but the trial did not meet efficacy endpoints, suggesting TYK2 inhibition by deucravacitinib may not significantly impact hair regrowth in alopecia areata patients.