Can a pill plus light therapy restore skin color in vitiligo?
NCT ID NCT03036995
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether the drug apremilast, taken as a pill twice daily, combined with narrowband UVB light therapy can help restore skin color in people with widespread vitiligo. 80 adults with stable or slowly progressing vitiligo covering at least 10% of their body took part. The main goal was to see if the combination leads to more repigmentation than light therapy alone after 24 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Apremilast (a pill that reduces inflammation and may help restore skin color) combined with narrowband UVB light therapy
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option that helps restore skin color in people with widespread vitiligo.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase study (80 people) with a short treatment period. The results may not apply to everyone, and the drug can cause side effects like nausea or headache.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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CHU de Nice - Dermatologie - Hôpital Archet
Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, 06, France