Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) has launched Leqselvi (deuruxolitinib) 8 mg tablets in the US for the treatment of adults with severe alopecia areata.
This oral selective inhibitor targets Janus Kinases JAK1 and JAK2 and is now available for prescription across the US.
According to Sun Pharma, the introduction of Leqselvi comes as a response to the limited available treatments for this autoimmune condition, which affects the hair follicles and leads to partial or complete hair loss.
Sun Pharma North America CEO Richard Ascroft said: “The launch of Leqselvi in the US brings an effective, new treatment option for severe alopecia areata to eligible patients and the healthcare providers who treat them.
“As a company committed to launching new therapeutic options which address the unmet needs of patients, adding Leqselvi to our dermatology portfolio represents a key milestone for the business and an important advancement for the alopecia areata community.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Leqselvi in July 2024, following successful trials. The approval was based on data from the THRIVE-AA1 and THRIVE-AA2 Phase 3 clinical trials, which involved 1,220 participants with at least 50% scalp hair loss.
These trials showed that by Week 24, around one-third of participants had regrown almost all their hair, while some achieved significant scalp coverage within just eight weeks.
Alopecia areata can affect approximately 2.5% of individuals both in the US and globally at some point in their lives. The condition is known to have psychological impacts, such as anxiety and depression, due to its visible nature and potential for widespread hair loss on any hair-bearing site.
In addition to this product launch, Sun Pharma completed its acquisition of Checkpoint Therapeutics in May 2025. This acquisition included UNLOXCYT, an anti-PD-L1 treatment for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
