Abstract: With the progress of the research on the pathogenesis of vitiligo, a series of drugs targeting specific immune pathways and molecules also made some improvements in recent years. Topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor facilitates repigmentation of vitiligo lesions in a phase II clinical trial. Interventions targeting IL-15R (CD122), inducible heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70i), NLRP3 inflammasome and WNT proteins have also shown definite efficacy in cell or animal models. The update of targeted therapy of vitiligo in recent five years on the aspects of therapeutic mechanism, efficacy and safety is reviewed in this paper.

Key words: vitiligo, targeted therapy, autoimmunity, melanocytes, Janus kinase inhibitors