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Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have identified baricitinib as a promising treatment for lichen planus, leading to significant improvements. The trial showed an 83% improvement in symptom responsiveness within 16 weeks.
Lichen planus is a chronic condition requiring advanced therapeutic options. Lichen planus significantly impacts patient quality of life and lacks effective, disease-specific treatments.
"This research is an important step in connecting the dots in understanding — and treating — autoimmune and inflammatory diseases," says senior author Aaron R. Mangold, M.D.
Lichen planus is characterized by painful, itchy lesions that affect skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes, making management difficult with current treatments.
Baricitinib targets the specific immune pathways in lichen planus. Baricitinib effectively inhibits the immune pathways that exacerbate lichen planus symptoms.
Baricitinib is an oral medication known as a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, which plays a pivotal role in the body's inflammatory response. It specifically targets the JAK 1/2 enzymes, disrupting the signaling pathway of interferon-gamma.
By blocking these enzymes, baricitinib reduces inflammation and immune overactivity, providing a more targeted and effective treatment.
Clinical trials demonstrate baricitinib's potential, prompting further research. Clinical trials show baricitinib significantly improves lichen planus symptoms, supporting its potential as a standard treatment.
In a recent study, patients with treatment-refractory lichen planus showed an 83% improvement in symptom responsiveness within 16 weeks of treatment with baricitinib.
"These findings provide a potential new, effective, disease-specific treatment option for lichen planus and therapeutic targets for other inflammatory diseases," noted Dr. Mangold.
This promising data opens the door for further research, possibly leading to the expansion of baricitinib use in broader contexts of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Hwang, A. S., et al. (2024). Rapid response of lichen planus to baricitinib associated with suppression of cytotoxic CXCL13+CD8+ T cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI179436
Gallagher, C. (2025). Targeted therapy shows promise for chronic skin condition relief. Medical Xpress. Retrieved February 3, 2025, from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-therapy-chronic-skin-condition-relief.html