Upadacitinib for Severe Alopecia Areata in Adults and Adolescents: Two Phase 3 UP-AA Randomized Clinical Trials

Why clinicians should know about it

• Picked for Dermatology (paper of the day, 18 August 2026): Phase 3 RCT, upadacitinib for severe alopecia areata

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, systemic immune-mediated disease characterized by nonscarring hair loss. Many patients do not experience improvements with available treatment options and only ritlecitinib is approved for adolescent patients; therefore, there remains a clear unmet need for additional and improved systemic therapies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib-an oral selective Janus kinase inhibitor-in adult and adolescent patients with severe AA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This global clinical program included 2 parallel phase 3 replicate randomized clinical trials (UP-AA1 and UP-AA2) conducted from October 2023 to July 2025, to evaluate upadacitinib in adolescent and adult patients (age 12 to <64 years old) with severe AA, defined as a Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score of 50 or greater. Both trials included a 24-week placebo-controlled, double-blinded treatment period (period A) and a 28-week blinded extension treatment period (period B). Data were analyzed from July 2025 to October 2025. INTERVENTIONS: Eligible patients were randomized 2:2:1 to once daily 15- or 30-mg upadacitinib or matching placebo. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Achievement of (multiplicity controlled) SALT score of 20 or less at week 24. Multiplicity-controlled secondary efficacy end points included achievement of improvements in clinician-reported outcomes for eyebrows and eyelashes; achievement of SALT scores of 20 or less at weeks 4, 8, and 12; achievement of SALT score of 10 or less; SALT score 0 at week 24; patients' global impression of change of AA score of much better or moderately better at weeks 4 and 24; and other AA-specific health-related quality of life measures at week 24. RESULTS: A total of 1399 patients were randomized (mean [range] age, 36 [12-64] years; 826 female [59.0%]), 676 patients from the UP-AA1 and 723 patients from the UP-AA2, to either 15-mg upadacitinib (270 and 289 patients, respectively), 30-mg upadacitinib (271 and 289), or placebo (135 and 145). Their mean (SD) SALT score was 83.9 (18.9) at baseline. The proportion of patients who achieved SALT score of 20 or less at week 24 was significantly higher for the 15-mg upadacitinib (122 [45.2%] and 129 [44.6%]) and the 30-mg upadacitinib (149 [55.0%] and 157 [54.3%]) groups, respectively, than for the placebo (2 [1.5%] and 5 [3.4%]) group. The safety profile of both doses was similar in adults and adolescents and consistent with approved indications; no new safety findings were identified. Treatment-emergent adverse events reported by more than 5% of patients in any treatment group were upper respiratory tract infection, acne, elevated blood creatine phosphokinase, and nasopharyngitis. Across both studies, treatment-emergent serious adverse events occurred in 9 (1.6%), 13 (2.3%), and 1 (0.4%) of patients receiving 15-mg upadacitinib , 30-mg upadacitinib, or placebo, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In these 2 parallel phase 3 replicate randomized clinical trials, upadacitinib demonstrated a positive benefit-risk profile in adults and adolescents with severe AA. Upadacitinib may be a potentially effective treatment option for this patient population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06012240.

Abstract as published, via PubMed.