A new research shows that a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis may be administered to reverse pigmentations caused by vitiligo. The doctors from the Yale School of Medicine discovered the breakthrough after a study subject exhibited improved skin conditions after a series of testing.
The study, led by Dr. Brett King, assistant professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, was driven by research findings suggesting that Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are effective in treating hair loss due alopecia areata. As alopecia areata and vitiligo are said to have similar risk factors in terms of genetics, as evidenced by increased incidence of familial incidences, the pathogenesis of both conditions may also be the same. With this information, the researchers came up with the premise that tofacitinib (Xeljanz), which is a JAK inhibitor, may also be an effective treatment for vitiligo.
The researchers conducted the study by administering one 5-mg oral tofacitinib citrate (Xeljanz) every other day to a 53-year-old patient, who had marked white pigmentation on her face, hands and entire body. The patient developed this progressive condition more than a year prior to the testing. Two months into the treatment, the patient underwent partial pigmentation on the face, hands and arms, which are the high areas of concern. The white spots on the hands and face were almost gone and those found in the body have decreased significantly after five months. The patient did not report any adverse effects during the entire course of the treatment. The study was published in the JAMA Dermatology on Wednesday, June 24.
Although the team was able to test the drug in only one patient, they are positive that treatments with the said drug are likely to become successful, in reference to their present knowledge of the disease and the pharmacological properties of the drug. King said further investigations are crucial to establish the safety and efficacy of the drug. He had expressed his plans to test a similar drug called ruxolitinib, also for the treatment of vitiligo.
"It's a first, and it could revolutionize treatment of an awful disease," said King. "This may be a huge step forward in the treatment of patients with this condition."
Vitiligo is a dermatological disease that causes psychological disturbance to patients due to its characteristic skin color changes. Available treatments for the disease include topical steroid creams and phototherapy, which generally produce minimal results.
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