New regulatory decision allows eligible adults and adolescents aged 12 and over to receive a once-daily oral therapy when systemic treatment is required⁠

The United Arab Emirates has approved a new oral treatment option for non-segmental vitiligo, making the country the first in the world to authorise the therapy for eligible adults and adolescents aged 12 and above who require systemic treatment.

The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) approved the expanded therapeutic indication for upadacitinib, allowing its use in patients with non-segmental vitiligo whose condition requires treatment that acts throughout the body, as reported by Emirates News Agency (WAM), a TV BRICS partner.

The medicine is administered once daily by mouth, offering an alternative to treatments that are applied directly to the skin for patients who meet the relevant medical criteria.

The regulatory decision marks a significant development in the treatment landscape for non-segmental vitiligo, a condition in which areas of skin lose their natural pigmentation.

According to the EDE, the UAE’s approval is the first global regulatory authorisation for this expanded use of the medicine. The decision reflects the country’s efforts to accelerate regulatory assessment and patient access to emerging medical treatments.

The authority said the approval forms part of a regulatory framework designed to respond to developments in medical research and strengthen treatment options available to patients.

African Times published this article in partnership with International Media Network TV BRICS