The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has granted a positive opinion for ritlecitinib, a once-daily 50-mg oral treatment for severe alopecia areata, paving the way for possible marketing authorization of the drug in the European Union for individuals 12 years of age and older. A final decision is expected in the coming months.
The development, which was announced by the manufacturer, Pfizer, on July 21, 2023, follows approval of ritlecitinib (Litfulo) for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in adults and adolescents 12 years and older by the Food and Drug Administration and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare in June 2023. According to a press release from Pfizer, submissions to other regulatory agencies for the use of ritlecitinib in alopecia areata are ongoing.
The Marketing Authorization Application for ritlecitinib was based on results from a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind ALLEGRO Phase 2b/3 study.
This article originally appeared on MDedge.com, part of the Medscape Professional Network.
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Cite this: EU Agency Issues Positive Opinion on Ritlecitinib for Alopecia - Medscape - Jul 21, 2023.
