MANY MINDEDNew vitiligo treatment shows color restoration in trials
A 48-week clinical trial published in The Lancet tested upadacitinib for vitiligo in 614 adults and teenagers aged 12+ across 138 institutions in 18 countries. In trial one, 25% of participants receiving 15mg daily regained at least 75% facial color loss compared to 6% placebo. A second trial showed 23% of upadacitinib recipients achieved similar facial color restoration versus 7% placebo. The study also found 19-21% regained at least 50% body color loss versus 6% placebo. However, the trial did not compare upadacitinib to existing treatments like creams or light therapy. Participants were predominantly White, with darker skin tones underrepresented. The 48-week duration was insufficient to assess long-term safety or efficacy, and follow-up studies are ongoing for 112 weeks. The EU has approved upadacitinib for eligible adults and teenagers aged 12+ with this common vitiligo form, but the source notes this is a preliminary trial with limited diversity and short-term data. This treatment could improve skin color restoration for some vitiligo patients if long-term studies confirm sustained results, though current access remains restricted to trial participants and EU-approved groups.
Source: ScienceAlert