What’s the Latest Research for Vitiligo? I Had a Front Row Seat to Expert Insights—Here’s What I Learned
What’s the latest research for vitiligo? What kinds of studies are being done? What are we learning about this disease? As someone living with vitiligo, the answer to these questions feels hard to track, and if I’m being honest, even harder to understand when I do find the answers. Yet that’s exactly why I’m committed to helping our readers find and understand the answers—because access to information about vitiligo is something we all deserve as the people living with it.
That’s also why, this past March, I sat in a room in Orlando, Florida, full of the leading vitiligo dermatologists and researchers from around the globe to hear the latest, cutting-edge studies on vitiligo. Each year, the Global Vitiligo Foundation hosts its Annual Scientific Symposium to bring together leading experts in vitiligo to share and discuss the latest research and insights into the pathogenesis and management of this autoimmune disease. I was honored to have a front row seat—literally—to take it all in, and below you’ll find an overview of the meeting and insights from just a few of the 38 total abstracts that were shared that day.
But beyond the updates and the research, there are three key takeaways I want you to take with you: There is an incredible amount of promising research taking place for vitiligo. There are dermatologists around the world who are committed to advancing care for vitiligo. And the future of vitiligo is more promising than ever before. According to Dr. Pearl Grimes, the president of the Global Vitiligo Foundation, “We’re moving at a rapid pace.”
Here’s a look inside the GVF’s annual symposium and some of the latest research in vitiligo.
Inside the 2025 scientific symposium for vitiligo
This year, the GVF’s Annual Scientific Symposium was hosted on March 6, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, as part of the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. The meeting welcomed over 140 attendees, including dermatologists, residents, medical students, individuals with vitiligo, and industry representatives from around the world.
The half-day event included 13 oral presentations and 25 poster presentations in addition to a patient panel, updates from the Global Vitiligo Foundation, and presentations by Dr. Tasneem Mohammad and Dr. Chau Yee Ng on vitiligo treatments. Oral presentations covered topics including disease pathogenesis, impact of the condition, and recent innovations in vitiligo treatment.
The “Patients with Vitiligo Perspectives” panel featured three individuals living with vitiligo representing various support groups: Jarrett Brown (Beautifully Unblemished Vitiligo Support Group), Shahnawaz Towheed (Vitiligo Voices Canada), and Sharolyn Hagen (VITFriends Minnesota). Led in conversation by Dr. Richard Huggins, the panelists with vitiligo shared their experiences living with the condition and the profound and negative impact it has had on their lives. “For some of us, it cost us our lives,” said Jarrett. For two of the panelists, the difficulty of living with vitiligo included challenges with finding empathetic dermatologists with information about vitiligo, having been previously told “there are no answers.” In light of this, the panelists also praised the dermatologists for their contributions to vitiligo. Jarrett shared: “I didn’t know this many people cared about vitiligo. Please keep doing the work you’re doing.”
The agenda also included updates from the GVF on its advocacy work. A non-profit organization, the GVF is an international group of researchers, physicians, and advocates—including those living with vitiligo—with a mission to improve the quality of life for individuals with vitiligo through education, research, clinical care, and community support. As part of its mission, the GVF hosts several annual events, including the USA World Vitiligo Day celebration. The GVF also hosts quarterly calls with 25 support group leaders for the sake of increasing collaboration and disseminating key information, seeking to be a bridge between the patient and medical communities for vitiligo.
Key research insights and updates
Back to our original question: What’s the latest research for vitiligo?
The oral presentations at the symposium highlighted new monitoring methods, developing treatments, and advances in our understanding of vitiligo. Studies highlighted the value of early intervention, routine hearing tests, knowledge of environmental triggers (such as hair color), and optimism for novel therapies that more specifically target the immune system.
As you review these studies, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these studies are presenting brand new findings. To fully trust in these findings, it’s often necessary to conduct additional research to verify what we’re learning. What does this mean for you? Soak up the learnings and remember to always consult with your doctor on what this might mean for you.
Afamelanotide: A Novel Promising Treatment for Vitiligo Case Studies from the Randomized CUV105 Clinical Trial
Presented by Faranak Kamangar, MD, Palo Alto, CA, US
Afamelanotide, a medication previously approved for porphyria, is currently being studied in a phase 3 clinical trial for vitiligo. In this trial, it is being tested in conjunction with narrowband UVB phototherapy. Early results indicate that afamelanotide may cause notable whole-body tanning early in the treatment term, which usually fades with time. The medicine appears to be most effective in locations where hair follicles still exist. While some patients may be worried by temporary darkening, many are ready to accept it for the possibility of long-term repigmentation. When advising patients about this procedure, it’s critical to consider their cultural preferences and expectations about skin tone.
Autologous Skin Cell Suspension Plus Phototherapy in Stable Vitiligo: Cost Implications of Improving Skin Repigmentation from a U.S. Economic Model
Presented by Iltefat Hamzavi, MD, Detroit, Michigan, US
To improve skin repigmentation in vitiligo, this study assesses the cost impact of combining light therapy with a skin transfer surgery using a patient’s skin cells. According to the results, treating stable vitiligo with this method may be more affordable and provide more access to this type of combination therapy.
Downregulated Ahr Expression Linked with Increased IFN-I Production and Impaired Immune Checkpoint Upregulation in Vitiligo
Presented by Reinhart Speeckaert, MD, Ghent, Belgium
Researchers from this study discovered that in vitiligo, decreased immune cell regulation and elevated immune activity are linked to lower levels of a certain gene (Ahr). This knowledge may help guide us towards new targets for future vitiligo treatments and help explain why our own immune systems go after our pigment cells in vitiligo.
Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Vitiligo-Associated Hearing Loss Among Patients Enrolled in a Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Povorotinib
Presented by Michael DePietro, MD, Wilmington, Delaware, US
According to this study, vitiligo patients are more likely than non-vitiligo patients to have hearing loss, particularly in high-frequency ranges. Most of the hearing loss is mild and more prevalent in elderly males who have had the condition for a longer time. Patients with vitiligo are advised to get regular hearing tests, and preliminary findings indicate that certain therapies may be beneficial, but more research is required.
Objective Vitiligo Lesion Assessment: Evaluating the Performance of Semi-Automatic Analysis Using Standardized UV Images to Overcome Limitations of Target-VASI
Presented by Robin Sinha, MD, Paris, France
Vitiligo Area Scoring Index, or VASI, is a common method where a doctor will use their own estimates of the amount of skin involved involved and the degree of depigmentation in the affected skin to track the amount of pigment that is gained or lost over time in individuals with vitiligo. This study explored a new approach that uses UV light and specialized cameras and found that it may quantify vitiligo patches more precisely and effectively than the VASI. Both patients and physicians may find it simpler to track both vitiligo and the effectiveness of treatment if this technology is further developed.
Erase Vitiligo Early Repigmentation Approach for Stopping the Evolution of Vitiligo
Presented by Thierry Passeron, MD, Nice, France
Early treatment of vitiligo may prevent or halt the disease’s progression by targeting immune cells and pigment-producing cells before disease activity begins. The study suggested that early medication initiation can alter the course of vitiligo and the same may be true for other skin disorders, such as psoriasis.
A Novel Biomarker in Vitiligo – Myth or Reality?
Presented by Chinmaye Anand Nitugundla, MD, Bengaluru, India
This study found that one particular type of immune cell (resident memory T lymphocytes) and a particular chemical in the blood that controls those cells (interleukin-15) are the main causes of vitiligo’s tendency to persist for years and years, if not a lifetime. Future treatments may be improved by focusing on these cells and chemicals and tracking the levels of the chemicals may aid in tracking disease activity.
Efficacy of Upadacitinib in Adults with Extensive Non-Segmental Vitiligo: Subgroup Analysis at 24 Weeks of Treatment
Presented by Khaled Ezzedine, MD, Paris, France
After 24 weeks of treatment, upadacitinib, a drug that is taken by mouth and targets particular immune pathways, is beneficial in bringing back normal skin color in people with extensive vitiligo. This could be yet another tool that can be helpful for patients with more widespread disease.
Impact of Treatment Duration on Response Durability: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the True-V Long-Term Extension Study of Ruxolitinib Cream in Vitiligo
Presented by David Rosmarin, MD, Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Longer usage of ruxolitinib cream, a topical treatment for vitiligo, results in more persistent repigmentation of the skin on the face, even after stopping use of the drug, according to a study. This implies that maintaining improvements and lowering the chance of relapse can be achieved by continuing treatment for a long time.
Response to Ritlecitinib with or without Narrow-Band Ultraviolet B Add-On Therapy in Patients with Active Non-Segmental Vitiligo
Presented by Iltefat Hamzavi, MD, Detroit, Michigan, US
Although there are still obstacles, combining light treatment (UVB light therapy) with JAK inhibitor pills (such as ritlecitinib) may enhance the results of vitiligo treatment as compared to using the pills alone. Experts stress that adding light treatment early and often produces greater effects, even though some dermatologists begin with JAKs alone. However, insurance coverage for UVB devices at home is limited, and only 10% of dermatological clinics have phototherapy equipment. If in-office light treatment is not accessible, patients should ask about options for light treatment at home, even if they have to purchase one of the more affordable units on their own.
Therapeutic Potential of a Fully Human Anti-IFN-T Monoclonal Antibody (EI-001): EI-001 Reverses Direct Melanocytotoxicity in Vitiligo and Updates in the Phase I Clinical Trial
Presented by Chau Yee Ng, MD, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
More than 1,000 vitiligo patients are seen monthly at a top clinic in Taiwan, which employs a comprehensive strategy that includes skin imaging (including AI-assisted tools), accurate diagnosis, and customized treatments to manage disease activity, restore pigmentation, and promote mental wellness. The experience of this clinic demonstrates the value of prompt, all-encompassing care as well as the potential of emerging technologies for vitiligo monitoring and treatment.
To learn more about this event and see a full list of presentations, see the Global Vitiligo Foundation’s April Highlights via ISSUU.
Summary
Vitiligo research is moving quickly, providing new, exciting insights into the factors that cause the condition and how to best treat it. This year, the GVF accepted 38 abstracts on advancements in vitiligo that were presented at its Annual Scientific Symposium in March 2025. These findings on topics like disease impact, monitoring, and treatments present promising advancements for future care of vitiligo.
This information is intended for informational purposes only. Consult with your doctor or a professional healthcare provider for medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis.
Thank you to the Global Vitiligo Foundation for making it possible for Living Dappled to attend the 2025 Annual Scientific Symposium.
MEDICAL REVIEWER
Richard Huggins, MD, FAAD
Richard Huggins, MD, centers his clinical work on vitiligo. In addition to running a vitiligo clinic and being involved in clinical trials and other vitiligo research, Dr. Huggins actively works to facilitate connections between the medical community and individuals living with vitiligo. He has authored dozens of peer-reviewed research papers and his work has appeared in publications such as the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and been presented at national and international medical conferences on vitiligo. Dr. Huggins has served on the Board of Directors for the Global Vitiligo Foundation and currently works at the Vitiligo Research and Treatment Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
