AbbVie's fast-growing JAK inhibitor Rinvoq has been cleared for alopecia areata in the EU, the first market for the hair loss disorder, adding to a lengthening list of approved indications for the blockbuster brand. The green light from the European Commission comes ahead of a decision on the new use for Rinvoq (upadacitinib) in the US, and makes the drug the third JAK inhibitor to be approved for alopecia areata in the EU after Eli Lilly's Olumiant (baricitinib) and Pfizer's Litfulo (ritlecitinib). Impacting approximately 2% of the population at some point during their lifetime, alopecia areata can affect people of any age, gender, race, or ethnicity. Analysts think that alopecia areata could represent a $1 billion-plus market opportunity worldwide for the JAK inhibitor class, as current treatment relies on corticosteroid drugs, which suppress the immune system, but can have serious side effects if used long-term. The company's head of R&D, Roopal Thakkar, said the drug "provides another option for patients who continue to navigate physical and mental burden associated with severe alopecia areata, often overlooked due to stigma."