US Patent 9901637 Vitamin D3 and analogs thereof for treating alopecia

The invention provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing or treating alopecia, such as chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The pharmaceutical compositions of the invention comprises an effective amount of a vitamin D compound in a formulation that topically delivers the vitamin D compound to the epidermis layer but substantially avoids the dermis layer. In chemotherapy patients, the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention can be administered either before or concurrent with the chemotherapy medication.