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Baricitinib maintains SALT score ≤20 in adults with severe alopecia areata over 152 weeks.

Baricitinib maintains SALT score ≤20 in adults with severe alopecia areata over 152 weeks.
Photo by Pharmacy Images / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Consider baricitinib for maintaining hair response in severe alopecia areata, noting the evidence is from a specific trial population.

This phase 3 randomized controlled trial assessed continuous baricitinib treatment in 196 adults with severe alopecia areata. The sample included 129 patients receiving 4 mg and 67 receiving 2 mg. The primary outcome was maintenance of a SALT score ≤20 at week 152 (35.1 months).

At week 152, 89.1% of patients on the 4 mg dose (115 of 129) and 83.6% on the 2 mg dose (56 of 67) maintained a SALT score ≤20. The study reported relative rates for this effect size. Secondary outcomes included adverse events of special interest and regrowth across scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes.

Safety data indicated the incidence rate of adverse events of special interest remained consistent relative to earlier safety reports. No new safety signals were identified. Serious adverse events and discontinuation rates were not reported.

A key limitation is that the analysis does not include outcomes of patients without a SALT score ≤20 response at week 52, who continued therapy post-week 52. This may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Given the evidence, baricitinib appears to maintain hair response in this specific trial population over 152 weeks. Practice relevance was not reported, and the findings should be contextualized within the study's design and limitations.

Study Details

Study typeRct
EvidenceLevel 2
Follow-up35.1 mo
PublishedApr 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
BACKGROUND: Baricitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor with an established safety profile across multiple indications, has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of severe alopecia areata with high maintenance of response during the initial treatment extension period. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate efficacy and safety of baricitinib for adults with severe alopecia areata through 152 weeks of continuous therapy. METHODS: The analysis includes patients from the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 phase 3, randomized, double-blind, clinical trials: adults with Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores ≥50 who achieved SALT score ≤20 at week 52 (responders) and were continued on the same dose of baricitinib up to 152 weeks. RESULTS: Among week 52 responders who were continuously treated with baricitinib 4 mg or baricitinib 2 mg, 115 of 129 (89.1%) and 56 of 67 (83.6%), respectively, maintained SALT score ≤20 at week 152. The incidence rate of adverse events of special interest relative to earlier safety reports, remained consistent. LIMITATIONS: The analysis does not include outcomes of patients without SALT score ≤20 response at week 52, who continued therapy post-week 52. CONCLUSIONS: Over 152 weeks, patients stably maintained and extended their regrowth across scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes with continued baricitinib treatment. There were no new safety signals.
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