A new cream offering hope to over 80,000 people in England living with vitiligo has been approved for NHS use.
Ruxolitinib, sold under the brand name Opzelura, is the first licensed treatment to receive a recommendation for patients with the chronic skin condition.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the green light, a move experts say “acknowledges the significant psychological, social and medical impact” of vitiligo.
The condition causes white patches on the skin when the immune system attacks the cells responsible for producing pigment.
Approximately one in 100 people in the UK are thought to live with vitiligo.
It can affect any area of the body, but usually develops on the face, neck, hands, and in skin creases.
There are two main types of vitiligo; non-segmental, when patches appear on both sides of the body symmetrically; and segmental, when patches only affect one area.
Ruxolitinib is recommended for patients aged 12 and over with non-segmental vitiligo that affects the face, when other topical first-line treatments have failed or are not suitable.
The cream, applied twice daily, works by calming the immune system’s attack, allowing skin cells to repair and regain their natural colour.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at Nice, said: “Vitiligo that affects the face can be a devastating disease and have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life.
“This will be the first licensed treatment for the condition to be made available in the NHS, and having an effective drug will be welcomed by the thousands of people living with this condition.”
According to Nice, trials of ruxolitinib found patients were four times more likely to have the skin on their faces restored to its natural colour compared to those on a placebo treatment.
Patients also told Nice the cream was less time-consuming than light therapy, which requires hospital visits.
Professor Meghana Pandit, national medical director at NHS England, said: “While it won’t be right for everyone, for some people this could make a profound difference to how they feel about themselves.”
Pav Korpal, a patient expert who was a member of previous Nice committees looking at vitiligo treatments, said: “As an Indian with brown skin, my vitiligo is more visible.
“As a young child, I was often called vile names and bullied as a result, causing me distress and anxiety. This led me to me seeking off-label treatments, which have often been hit and miss.
“Getting the news that ruxolitinib, an effective treatment expressly for vitiligo, is being recommended gives me renewed optimism. Treating the physical symptoms will also help to manage the psychological effects of this disease.”
Abigail Hurrell, chief executive of The Vitiligo Society, said the approval “represents a historic milestone”.
“This decision acknowledges the significant psychological, social and medical impact of vitiligo and marks a fundamental shift towards the equitable care our community has long deserved,” she added.
Emma Rush, chief executive of Vitiligo Support UK, described the decision as an “important landmark for vitiligo patients”.
“It is clear Nice listened to the evidence presented by patients on the impact of vitiligo on their lives,” Ms Rush added.
“The recommendation will make a massive difference to patients’ lives and grants them a means of treating their disease in a convenient and above-all effective way.”
NHS England is expected to make the cream available within three months of Nice publishing its final guidance on the treatment.
