UAE approves RINVOQ for vitiligo

The United Arab Emirates — Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) of the United Arab Emirates has approved the expanded use of RINVOQ (upadacitinib), an oral JAK inhibitor developed by AbbVie, for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older whose condition requires systemic therapy. This approval makes the UAE the first country in the world to license an oral treatment for this indication, and RINVOQ becomes the first licensed oral therapy for this patient group. The decision reflects the UAE's advanced regulatory framework and commitment to accelerating access to innovative therapies. Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune skin condition causing loss of pigmentation, affecting 0.5-1% of the global population. The approval provides a new once-daily oral option for eligible patients, complementing existing topical, phototherapy, and laser treatments.