AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) on Thursday released topline results from the second of two pivotal studies of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program evaluating the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib (RINVOQ; 15 mg and 30 mg, once daily) in adult and adolescent patients with severe alopecia areata (AA) with a mean baseline SALT score of 84.0 (approximately 16% scalp hair coverage).

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing hair loss, typically in small, round patches on the scalp or other body areas. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.

In Study 1, both doses of upadacitinib achieved the primary endpoint, with 45.2% and 55.0% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reaching 80% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT score ≤ 20) at week 24, compared to 1.5% of patients receiving placebo.

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35.2% and 45.8% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 90% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT ≤ 10), compared to 0.7% of patients receiving placebo at week 24.

Additional key secondary endpoints that were met included percentage of subjects with improvements in eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the percentage of subjects with complete scalp hair coverage (SALT=0) with both doses of upadacitinib at week 24.

The safety profile of both doses of upadacitinib in the 24-week, placebo-controlled period (Period A) was generally consistent with that observed in approved indications. Treatment-emergent serious adverse events occurred in 1.9% and 1.8% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and 0.7% in the placebo group.

Discontinuations due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 1.1% and 1.5% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and none in the placebo group.

These results are consistent with the topline results from the first parallel replicate study (Study 2) of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program.

In Study 2, both doses of upadacitinib achieved the primary endpoint, with 44.6% and 54.3% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reaching 80% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT score ≤ 20) at week 24, compared to 3.4% of patients receiving placebo.

36.0% and 47.1% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 90% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT ≤ 10), compared to 1.4% of patients receiving placebo at week 24.

Price Action: ABBV stock is trading higher by 0.88% to $210.99 at last check Thursday.

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