Skip to main content
Universal Drugstore logo

Why pay full price for medications?

See Prices Now

Does Adbry Cause Hair Loss?

Adbry (tralokinumab) may cause hair loss in some patients, though clinical trials show mixed results. Post-marketing safety reports have identified alopecia as a potential side effect, with 15 cases reported and a reporting odds ratio of 2.28. However, clinical trials have not consistently identified hair loss as a prominent side effect, suggesting it may be uncommon if it occurs at all.

Shop Medications

Tralokinumab is an injectable medication that blocks interleukin-13, a protein involved in the inflammatory response that drives atopic dermatitis. While it effectively reduces eczema symptoms for many patients, understanding its potential effects on hair growth is important for making informed treatment decisions.

In This Article

What Evidence Shows Adbry Might Cause Hair Loss?

The strongest evidence comes from post-marketing surveillance data, which tracks adverse events reported after medications reach the market. A comprehensive analysis of real-world safety reports found that alopecia was reported in 15 cases among Adbry users, producing a reporting odds ratio of 2.28.

This suggests that hair loss may occur more frequently in patients taking Adbry compared to those not taking the medication. However, these reports cannot prove that Adbry directly caused the hair loss, as patients with atopic dermatitis may experience hair loss for other reasons.

Why Pay Full Price?

Search our full medication catalogue and save up to 80% - no insurance needed.

See Prices Now

Additional evidence comes from a real-world comparison study that found hair loss occurred significantly more often with tralokinumab than with dupilumab, another eczema treatment. The study documented various types of hair loss, including alopecia areata, diffuse hair loss, and unspecified hair loss patterns.

What Did Clinical Trials Show About Hair Loss Risk?

Clinical trials of Adbry showed mixed results regarding hair loss. The most comprehensive analysis pooled data from five randomized clinical trials involving adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. Overall adverse event rates were similar between tralokinumab and placebo groups, with serious adverse events occurring in 2.1% of tralokinumab-treated patients versus 2.8% of placebo-treated patients.

However, these clinical trial results did not identify hair loss as a prominent adverse event. This discrepancy between clinical trial data and post-marketing reports is common, as clinical trials may be too small or too short to detect uncommon side effects like alopecia.

One real-world study of 169 patients treated with tralokinumab found no cases of alopecia areata in their recorded adverse event data, though this study may not have captured other types of hair loss or diffuse hair thinning.

What Types of Hair Loss Have Been Reported with Adbry?

Reports have documented several different patterns of hair loss in patients using Adbry. The most commonly reported type is alopecia areata, which causes round patches of hair loss on the scalp or other body areas. Diffuse hair loss, which involves overall thinning rather than distinct bald patches, has also been reported.

Some cases involve unspecified hair loss patterns that don’t fit neatly into established categories. In at least one documented case, a patient developed alopecia areata during previous treatment with dupilumab, and the condition persisted when switched to tralokinumab treatment.

It’s important to note that alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that can occur independently of medication use, particularly in people who already have other autoimmune conditions like atopic dermatitis.

How Common Is Hair Loss Among Adbry Users?

The exact frequency of hair loss among Adbry users remains unclear because post-marketing surveillance data cannot provide precise incidence rates. These reporting systems capture voluntary reports from healthcare providers and patients, which means many cases may go unreported while others might be reported multiple times.

What we know is that hair loss appears uncommon enough that it wasn’t identified as a significant concern in the initial clinical trials that led to Adbry’s approval. However, it occurs frequently enough in real-world use to generate a statistical signal in safety databases.

A small observational study found that among 37 patients treated with tralokinumab, two experienced hair loss. This represents about 5% of patients in that particular study, though the small sample size makes it difficult to generalize this percentage to all Adbry users.

Could Atopic Dermatitis Itself Cause Hair Loss?

Yes, atopic dermatitis can cause hair loss through several mechanisms, which complicates determining whether Adbry is responsible for reported cases. When eczema affects the scalp, the inflammation and scratching can damage hair follicles and lead to temporary or permanent hair loss in affected areas.

Additionally, people with atopic dermatitis have higher rates of autoimmune conditions, including alopecia areata. The chronic inflammation and immune system dysfunction associated with severe eczema may contribute to hair loss independently of any medication effects.

This background risk makes it challenging for researchers to determine whether hair loss reports represent a true medication side effect or reflect the underlying disease process and associated conditions.

What Should You Do If You Experience Hair Loss on Adbry?

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice unusual hair loss while taking Adbry. Document the pattern, timing, and extent of hair loss, including when it started relative to beginning treatment and whether it affects specific areas or involves overall thinning.

Your doctor can evaluate whether the hair loss might be related to Adbry, your underlying atopic dermatitis, stress, nutritional factors, or other medical conditions. They may recommend seeing a dermatologist who specializes in hair disorders for further evaluation.

Don’t stop taking Adbry without medical supervision, as this could lead to a flare of your atopic dermatitis. Your healthcare provider can help weigh the benefits of continued treatment against the concern about hair loss and discuss alternative treatment options if necessary.

Are There Alternative Eczema Treatments If Hair Loss Occurs?

Several other treatment options exist for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis if hair loss becomes a concern with Adbry. These include dupilumab (Dupixent), another injectable medication that blocks different inflammatory pathways, and oral medications like upadacitinib (Rinvoq) and abrocitinib (Cibinqo).

Topical treatments such as calcineurin inhibitors, corticosteroids, and JAK inhibitors may also provide symptom control for some patients. The choice of alternative treatment depends on your specific symptoms, medical history, and treatment response.

Your healthcare provider can help determine the most appropriate alternative based on your individual situation and treatment goals.

What Does Current Research Say About Tralokinumab and Hair Growth?

Interestingly, tralokinumab has been investigated as a potential treatment for alopecia areata rather than a cause of hair loss. A phase II clinical trial examined whether blocking interleukin-13 might help restore hair growth in patients with alopecia areata, though the results showed limited efficacy and the study faced completion challenges.

This research context adds complexity to understanding the relationship between Adbry and hair loss. The same medication being studied as both a potential hair loss treatment and reported as a possible cause of hair loss suggests that the relationship between interleukin-13 blockade and hair growth is not straightforward.

More research is needed to clarify whether Adbry truly increases hair loss risk and, if so, through what mechanisms this might occur.

References

Related Conditions