Phase 3 Data Highlight Early and Broad Response With Deuruxolitinib

Two posters presented at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2026 Annual Meeting provide complementary Phase 3 evidence supporting the efficacy of deuruxolitinib, an oral Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor, in adults with severe alopecia areata (AA).

Both analyses pooled data from the pivotal THRIVE-AA1 and THRIVE-AA2 trials, which enrolled adults aged 18 to 65 years with ≥50% scalp hair loss (Severity of Alopecia Tool [SALT] score ≥50). Patients were randomized to deuruxolitinib 8 mg twice daily or placebo for 24 weeks.

In a subgroup analysis of 867 patients, deuruxolitinib demonstrated consistent efficacy across demographic and baseline characteristics. At Week 24, 31.0% of patients treated with deuruxolitinib achieved a SALT score ≤20 compared with 0.8% of those receiving placebo (P < 0.0001). Treatment effects were observed across age, sex, ethnicity, and baseline disease severity, with statistically significant differences favoring active therapy in nearly all subgroups. 

“Deuruxolitinib 8 mg BID showed significant efficacy vs placebo across almost all demographic and baseline characteristic subgroups,” the authors wrote, noting that “data for some subgroups are limited, warranting further study.” 

A second analysis evaluated the timing of response, demonstrating early and progressive hair regrowth. As early as Week 8, significantly more patients receiving deuruxolitinib achieved a SALT score ≤20 compared with placebo (3.1% vs 0.4%; P = 0.0005), with response rates increasing steadily through Week 24. By Week 24, 31.0% of treated patients reached this threshold versus 0.8% with placebo (P < 0.0001). 

Higher thresholds of response were also observed over time. By Week 12, 4.6% of patients treated with deuruxolitinib achieved a SALT score ≤10, with continued improvement through Week 24.

“Deuruxolitinib resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in scalp hair regrowth over 24 weeks of treatment,” the authors concluded. “Statistically significant proportions of patients…achieved a SALT score ≤20 as early as Week 8, with the proportion…continually increasing through Week 24.”