Clinical Quiz: BRAVE-AA and Baricitinib in Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder characterized by non-scarring hair loss, has long posed significant challenges for patients and clinicians alike.

With a difficult-to-predict disease course and a significant impact on physical and emotional well-being, patients have faced limited treatment options that often failed to address the underlying mechanisms of the condition.

Until recently, the therapeutic landscape for alopecia areata was defined by off-label treatments with inconsistent efficacy and safety profiles. The approval of targeted therapies, namely baricitinib (Olumiant), ritlecitinib (Litfulo), and deuruxolitinib (Leqselvi), marks a transformative shift in care, providing evidence-based options for those with the disease. These approvals also underscore the growing recognition of alopecia areata as a serious medical condition and the importance of advancing precision medicine in dermatology.

In the quiz below, the first in our 3-part series examining the pivotal data used to support these approvals, we examine the June 2022 approval of baricitinib as the first treatment approved for alopecia areata. Approved based on data from 2 multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trials, BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2, this quiz focuses on a combined analysis of both trials—testing your knowledge study designs, primary endpoints, and significant outcomes that shaped this treatment milestone.

Quiz: Baricitinib in Severe Alopecia Areata

Editor’s note: This quiz was composed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.

References:

1. ^{Eli Lilly and Company. FDA approves Lilly and Incyte’s OLUMIANT® (baricitinib) as First and only systemic medicine for adults with severe alopecia areata. Eli Lilly and Company. June 13, 2022. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-lilly-and-incytes-olumiantr-baricitinib-first-and.}
2. ^{King B, Ohyama M, Kwon O, et al. Two Phase 3 Trials of Baricitinib for Alopecia Areata. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(18):1687-1699. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2110343}