Clinical Quiz: ALLEGRO and Ritlecitinib for 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 second in a 3-part series examining the pivotal data used to support these approvals, we examine the June 2023 approval of ritlecitinib as the first treatment specifically for adolescents and young adults with severe alopecia areata. This quiz focuses on the landmark phase 2b/3 ALLEGRO trial—testing your knowledge study designs, primary endpoints, and significant outcomes that shaped this treatment milestone.

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

References:

1. ^{Pfizer. FDA Approves Pfizer’s LITFULOTM (Ritlecitinib) for Adults and Adolescents With Severe Alopecia Areata. Pfizer. June 23, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/fda-approves-pfizers-litfulotm-ritlecitinib-adults-and.}
2. ^{King B, Zhang X, Harcha WG, et al. Efficacy and safety of ritlecitinib in adults and adolescents with alopecia areata: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 2b-3 trial [published correction appears in Lancet. 2023 Jun 10;401(10392):1928. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01078-4]. Lancet. 2023;401(10387):1518-1529. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00222-2}