FDA green-lights first alopecia treatment for adolescents from Pfizer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved Litfulo (ritlecitinib), a once-daily oral treatment, for individuals aged 12 years and older with severe alopecia areata.

The drug was developed by US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), which claims it is the first and only treatment approved by the FDA for adolescents (12+) with severe alopecia areata.

However, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Incyte (Nasdaq: INCY) in 2021 claimed the first pivotal win for a JAK inhibitor in alopecia in adults - Olumiant (baricitinib), which went on to win  FDA approval in June last year.