Efficacy and Safety of Ritlecitinib in Adolescents with Alopecia Areata: Results from the ALLEGRO Phase 2b/3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

The ALLEGRO phase 2b/3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of ritlecitinib, a JAK3/TEC family kinase inhibitor, in 105 adolescents aged 12-17 with alopecia areata and ≥50% scalp hair loss. Over 48 weeks, 25%-50% of patients in the ritlecitinib groups achieved significant hair regrowth (SALT score ≤20), compared to 0% in the placebo group. Additionally, 44%-80% of adolescents reported moderate to great improvement in their condition with ritlecitinib, versus 10%-22% with placebo. Common adverse events included headache, acne, and nasopharyngitis, but no severe adverse events were reported. Overall, ritlecitinib showed promising efficacy and a favorable safety profile for treating alopecia areata in adolescents.