Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has initiated its Phase 1 clinical program for CTP-543, which is being developed for the treatment of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease for which there are currently no approved treatments. CTP-543 was discovered by applying Concert's deuterium chemistry technology to modify ruxolitinib, which is commercially available under the name Jakafi® in the United States for the treatment of myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera. Ruxolitinib has been used to treat alopecia areata in academic settings, including an investigator-sponsored clinical trial, and has been shown to promote hair growth in individuals with moderate to severe disease. Concert's Phase 1 program will assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of single- and multiple-ascending doses of CTP-543 in healthy volunteers.