LONDON: Scientists are calling a new drug “an important milestone” for its ability to regrow hair and tackle baldness, western media reported on Friday.
Studies show that half of the people who took the drug grew back a full head of hair.
It has been able to deal with the condition called alopecia areata. NHS says that the condition is common and affects every 15 in 10,000 people in the UK alone.
It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the hair follicles resulting in hair fall, leaving either small bald patches on the head or causing complete baldness.
The condition is incurable but some medicines help boost growth.
A drug company recruited over 700 people in the US who suffered from alopecia areata. They were divided into three groups: One received an 8mg twice-daily dosage, another 12mg twice-daily dose, and one received a placebo.
“A statistically significant proportion of patients” witnessed a boost in hair regrowth compared to the placebo group.
About 42% saw approximately 80% of their hair grow back. Some patients, however, suffered from side effects like headaches and acne.
“Today marks an important milestone in advancing new treatments for alopecia areata,” said Dr. Brett King, a dermatologist at Yale University School of Medicine.
“There is a great need for treatments for this challenging disease,” he added.
The drug, called CTP-543, is yet to be approved by drug regulators at FDA.
NHS reports that hair loss can be caused by “stress, weight loss, or iron deficiency.”
