This is an archive article published on June 14, 2022

New FDA drug to regrow hair should be taken with caution

New FDA-approved alopecia drug has side effects and hence we have to conduct liver and kidney function tests apart from ruling out latent tuberculosis. A thorough screening is vital, says Dr Sunil Tolat, consulting dermatologist at Pune’s B J Government Medical College

4 min readPuneUpdated: Jun 14, 2022 06:26 PM IST

Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder. (AP, file)

Little did Oscar presenter Chris Rock know that a remark about actor Jada Pinket Smith’s hair loss would bring to fore the emotional trauma that alopecia areata sufferers have to endure.

Now, a ray of hope has emerged with the US Food and Drug Administration approving Olumiant (Baricitinib) oral tablets to treat adult patients with severe alopecia areata. This autoimmune disorder, that appears as patchy baldness, can be life-altering in cases — a total loss of body hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows, even nose hair and hair in the ears.

According to a US FDA press statement on the condition, the body attacks its own hair follicles, causing the hair to fall out in clumps. Olumiant is the inhibitor that blocks the activity of one or more of a specific family of enzymes interfering with the pathway that leads to inflammation. Baricitinib, a drug made by Eli Lilly, regrows hair by blocking the immune system from attacking hair follicles. It treats the entire body rather than a specific location. The efficacy and safety of the drug was tested in two randomised double blind placebo-controlled trials with patients who had at least 50 per cent scalp hair loss.

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So what does this breakthrough mean for India? Tofacitinib – which is like Baricitinib – is a novel oral janus-activated kinase inhibitor to control rheumatoid arthritis and is already being used for treating this condition. It is easily available in India at an affordable cost (Rs 25-50 per tablet). Dr Sunil Tolat, consulting dermatologist and honorary professor at B J Government Medical College, Pune, said that unlike male or female patterns of baldness, alopecia areata requires a step ladder treatment tailor-made for each patient. He pointed out that existing forms of treatment may help the hair to grow and apart from anti-inflammatory drugs that suppress the immune system, topical corticosteroids may help too.

Besides, Dr Tolat said, we must proceed with caution. “There are side effects of the drug and hence we have to conduct a series of investigations, including liver and kidney function tests apart from ruling out latent tuberculosis.” A thorough screening is vital before administering the drug, he emphasised.

“Alopecia areata is a fairly common condition encountered by dermatologists in day to day practice. Three fourth of the patients do not have any known cause for the patchy hair loss. Hence it is called idiopathic. One fourth may have some autoimmune condition, may have skin conditions like atopic dermatitis or may be pre-hypertensive,” added Dr Vidyadhar Sardesai, Professor and Head of Department of Dermatology at Bharati Vidyapeeth deemed university medical college. Many patients do respond to local or systemic treatment modalities, particularly steroids or immunosuppressant drugs like cyclosporine or azathioprine, he said.

The Lilly drug was studied in two trials, sponsored by the company and published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine, involving 1,200 patients with severe alopecia areata. Nearly 40 per cent who took the drug had complete or near-complete hair regrowth after 36 weeks. After a year, nearly half of the patients had their hair back. Dr Brett King, a dermatology professor at Yale University, was the principal investigator for the two Lilly trials and has been reported to have said that he was optimistic that the success rate for the drugs would get better.

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As long as there are localized patches in the scalp it is less worrisome for the patient but when the hair loss spreads and involves large portion/entire scalp (Alopecia Totalis) or also involves eyebrows, eyelashes and body hair (Alopecia Universalis), then the quality of life is severely deranged, the expert pointed out.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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