Alopecia Areata

What is Alopecia Areata
Alopecia (Hair loss) refers to a change such as the absence of hair or the thinning of hair. ​Hair loss diseases are manifested in various forms, and there are various kinds, such as Alopecia Areata, which affects people of all ages, gender and ethnic groups. Alopecia Areata is known as an autoimmune skin disease which occurs when the immune system attacks the hair follicles in error, causing hair loss in patches. Alopecia Areata often develops suddenly, over the course of a couple of days. Alopecia Areata often starts from a hair loss in coin size which can lead to general hair loss of all body or 50% of the scalp (through thinning or total loss of hair) as progression may continue and conditions may worsen and recover repeatedly. Alopecia Areata is gradually increasing amongst all ages, genders and ethnic groups. There are currently no FDA approved treatments for Alopecia Areata and there is no known cure for this condition, as of yet.
Types
• Alopecia Areata (AA): Hair loss in patches.
• Extensive Alopecia Areata (EAA): More than 50% scalp loss.
• Alopecia Totalis (AT): Loss of all hair on the scalp.
• Alopecia Universalis (AU): Loss of all hair on the scalp and body.
Children with AA
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Other Treatment Options
​for Children with AA
Age: Mean Age of Onset is 5 to 10 years and children under 3 rarely experience this disease.
Typical Type: The younger age of onset increases the chances that rapid hair loss develops into extensive AA that may even develop into alopecia totalis or universalis.
Does Hair Regrow?: While half of patients with AA will experience regrowth within one year, others suffer prolonged disease that is resistant to multiple treatments.
Psychological Issues: Children with AA, especially school age children, often experience psychopathologies that include anxiety, depression, withdrawal, aggression, fear, isolation, insomnia, problems with socialization, and school delinquency.
Victims of Bulling: In one study of 9-11 year olds with AA, clinicians found that children had a hard time discussing their disease and described how they were often bullied at school.
Children with EAA: Children with Extensive Alopecia Areata suffer from increased disfigurement and experience greater psychological distress as a result.
A. In General, treatment options for children suffering from AA is very limited.  
  • Need: Based on the lack of efficacious and safe treatments combined with the potentially devastating psychological problems that are experienced by children with AA (especially EAA), treatments that are effective and have fewer side effects are needed.
  • No FDA approved treatment: There are currently no drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of alopecia areata. In 2015, the FDA selected alopecia areata as one of eight new disease areas that it will focus on under its Patient-Focused Drug Development Initiative (PFDDI) meeting during fiscal year 2016-2017.

B. Steroid Treatment: Children suffering from AA are sometimes treated with intralesional steroids.
  • Regrowth: Children with AA experience greater than 50% regrowth with the use of intralesional steroids.
  • Relapse: Relapses are common after cessation of treatment especially for children with EAA.
  • Side Effects: Adverse effects, such as occipital and cervical lymphadenopathy, severe dermatitis, urticaria, and hypo- or hyperpigmentation disorders. 
  • Avoidance by Clinicians: Because of the adverse side effects, clinicians tend to avoid steroid treatment.

C. Anthralin Treatment: A treatment option using Anthralin is sometimes used.
  • Regrowth: Treatment using Anthralin demonstrated regrowth in 75% of patients with limited AA, but in only 25% of those with EAA.
HCell HC017AA
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How does HCell's HC017AA work? Biologics act in a paracrine fashion that results in both anti-inflammatory immunosuppression and neovascularization/angiogenesis—a treatment that targets the theorized etiologies of Alopecia Areata.