CAL/BDP cream efficacious in plaque psoriasis treatment for patients with skin of color

WAILEA, Hawaii — A combination calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate cream showed similar efficacy in treating plaque psoriasis in patients with skin of color as it did in the full trial population, according to a post-hoc analysis.

“Investigating the safety and efficacy of psoriasis therapies in diverse populations is important, given the potential for pharmacogenomic differences that may influence treatment outcomes,” Valerie Callender, MD, of Howard University College of Medicine and Callender Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, and colleagues wrote in a poster presented at the Maui Derm meeting. “Skin type, racial/ethnic, genetic and socioeconomic factors are potential considerations when making treatment choices.”

A phase 3 randomized, multicenter, investigator blind, parallel group trial included 796 adults with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. Patients applied either calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate cream (CAL/BDP) cream, vehicle or active comparator CAL/BDP topical suspension (TS) once daily for up to 8 weeks.

This post-hoc analysis evaluated the results of the study in a subgroup of patients with skin of color.

Of 129 patients with Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI, 37.4% of those treated with CAL/BDP cream achieved PGA success, defined as a 2-grade improvement to clear or almost clear, which was comparable to the 38.7% who achieved PGA success in the total study population. In comparison, the researchers called this result “significantly different” from the 20.7% of Fitzpatrick skin type IV to VI patients treated with CAL/BDP TS who achieved PGA success, as well as the 0.3% of the subgroup’s vehicle-treated patients.

A similar adverse events profile was also recorded in the subgroup as compared with the general study population.