FDA Approves New Vitiligo Treatment, Ruxolitinib (Opzelura)
On July 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ruxolitinib (Opzelura) cream 1.5 percent as a treatment for the most common form of vitiligo, according to a statement by Incyte, the manufacturer of the drug.Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigment and turn milky white. The most prevalent form is nonsegmental (also known as generalized) vitiligo, in which white patches appear symmetrically on both sides of the body, such as on both hands or both knees, often covering large areas.Ruxolitinib is the first medication that can restore pigment in patients with nonsegmental vitiligo. The FDA approved Incyte’s ruxolitinib cream for adults and children ages 12 and up.“This approval is monumental,” says Daniel Gutierrez, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Grossman…