Noteworthy Studies on JAK Inhibitors, Skin-Gut Relationship in Alopecia Areata: Maria Hordinsky, MD

In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care, Maria Hordisnky, MD, professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota, noted how much progress has been made in the treatment of alopecia areata, a skin condition that can cause severe hair loss when left untreated. There have been 3 new treatments approved by the FDA in the past 5 years, all of them Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. Hordinsky was a featured speaker during the Winter Clinical Dermatology meeting held in Miami, Florida, from February 27 to March 1, 2026.

In her presentation, Hordinsky focused on the different JAK inhibitors available for patients living with alopecia areata, including dupilumab and baracitinib, that have proven to be effective in treating the condition. She also noted the environmental factors that can go into an alopecia areata diagnosis, including how genetic predispositions to the condition can be exacerbated by these environmental factors.

“One of the things that has become very popular to address is whether there's a skin-gut relationship, and the word that's used is dysbiosis, to figure out if there's a skin-gut dysbiosis,” said Hordinsky. “I also presented our early start in a study looking at gut transplantation for alopecia areata. Up to now, we've enrolled 8 patients, and we hope to get to 36 in a double-blind, placebo-controlled type of study being done with our colleagues in gastroenterology and our microbiome experts.”

In this interview, Hordinsky also touched on the future of alopecia areata treatment, discussing ongoing studies that evaluate the efficacy of their use in this population. Upacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, is still being tested in clinical trials for efficacy in alopecia areata and is coming up the ranks. She also mentioned current trials evaluating the efficacy of switching JAK inhibitors after achieving a response with a JAK inhibitor.