Improvements superior for severe acne patients assigned 0.3% A/BPO gel vs. vehicle

WASHINGTON — A combination of adapalene 0.3% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% topical gel was superior to a vehicle for the treatment of severe acne, according to data presented at the 2016 American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting.

“More effective therapies are needed in the specific treatment of severe inflammatory acne vulgaris,” Emil A. Tanghetti, MD, FAAD, dermatologist with the Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery in Sacramento, California, and colleagues wrote.

In a randomized, double blind, controlled study, Tanghetti and colleagues compared adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (Galderma; 0.3% A/BPO) topical gel with a vehicle in 252 patients with severe acne. Patients received once-daily treatment for 12 weeks. The co-primary success points were the percentage of patients rated “clear” or “almost clear” and a change in inflammatory (IN) and noninflammatory (NIN) lesion counts also from baseline to week 12.

The researchers determined that 0.3% A/BPO was superior to the vehicle, with a treatment success rate difference of 20.1% (31.9% vs. 11.8%; 95% CI, 6-34.2). At week 12, 0.3% A/BPO was superior to vehicle in percent change in IN (–74.4% vs. –33%; P < .001) and NIN lesion counts (–72.1% vs. –30.8%; P < .001). In addition, 0.3% A/BPO was considered safe and well-tolerated among study patients.

“The availability of this new treatment option should allow clinicians to better customize severe inflammatory acne management,” Tanghetti and colleagues wrote. – by Will Offit

Reference:
Weiss JS, et al. Abstract 3544. Presented at: American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 4-8, 2016; Washington D.C.

Disclosure: The researchers report that Galderma Laboratories is the manufacturer of 0.3% adapalene/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and 0.1% adapalene/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel. Infectious Diseases in Children was unable to confirm other relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.