Ritexitinib combined with nbUVB enhances pigmentation in patients with vitiligo

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the efficacy and tolerability of Ritlecitinib combined with narrowband UVB (nbUVB) phototherapy in patients with non-segmental vitiligo.

They evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of ritexitinib, starting with a 24-week placebo-controlled dose range. Patients received 200 mg of rituxitinib for 4 weeks, followed by 50 mg for 20 weeks, with or without nbUVB phototherapy twice weekly. Missing data were managed using last observation carried forward (LOCF) and observed cases (OC) methods.

The results showed that 43 patients received ritixitinibcombinationnbUVB treatment, and 187 patients received ritixitinib treatment only. 9 patients in the ritixitinib + nbUVB group stopped treatment at week 12 because they did not meet the efficacy standard of >10% improvement in the total vitiligo area score index (T-VASI). The mean percent change from baseline in facial VASI score (%CFB) at Week 24 was -57.0 with ritexitinib + nbUVB compared with -51.5 (LOCF; P = 0.158) and -69.6 vs -55.1 (observation case [OC]; P = 0.009) with ritexitinib monotherapy. Compared withritixitinib monotherapy, the mean circulating fluid bed percentage in T-VASI for ritixitinib + nbUVB was -29.4 and -21.2 (LOCF; P=0.043) and -46.8 and -24.5 (OC; P<0.001), respectively. The addition of nbUVB to ritixitinib was well tolerated and presented no new safety concerns.

The researchers concluded that ritixitinib monotherapy and nbUVB combination therapy effectively improved facial and systemic repigmentation in patients with vitiligo, and that the combination treatment may show higher efficacy compared with ritixitinib alone, while both regimens were well tolerated.

Reference materials:https://www.physiciansweekly.com/ritlecitinib-combined-with-nbuvb-enhances-repigmentation-in-vitiligo/