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Combination afamelanotide, narrowband UV-B phototherapy accelerates vitiligo treatment

Researchers discovered that a combination of afamelanotide and NB-UV-B phototherapy resulted in statistically significant superior and faster repigmentation compared with NB-UV-B monotherapy.

In a randomized, multicenter trial, men and women with Fitzpatrick skin types III to VI and a confirmed diagnosis of nonsegmental vitiligo involving 15% to 50% of total body surface area were enrolled.

Henry Lim

Patients were randomly assigned to combination therapy or NB-UV-B monotherapy. After 1 month of NB-UV-B phototherapy, the researchers subcutaneously administered 16 mg of afamelanotide to the combination therapy group monthly for 4 months, and NB-UV-B phototherapy was continued; the other group continued to receive NB-UV-B monotherapy.

At day 56, treatment response in the combination group was superior to that in the NB-UV-B monotherapy group, according to the researchers.

Significantly more patients in the combination group achieved repigmentation earlier with regard to the face and upper extremities. Repigmentation occurred in 48.64% of patients in the combination treatment group compared with 33.26% in the monotherapy group at day 168.

The researchers also noted that those with darker skin and patients with lesions on the face and upper extremities had a more rapid response to combination treatment.

Adverse events included erythema in both groups, as well as nausea and minor infections in the combination group.

Disclosure: Lim served as a consultant to Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals.