Treatments for Moderate-to-Severe Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple treatment options exist for the management of moderate-to-severe acne. However, the comparative effectiveness (efficacy/safety) of moderate-to-severe acne treatments has not been systematically examined. METHODS: A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials of ≥4 weeks of treatment (topical, oral, physical, or combinations) for moderate-to-severe facial acne in patients aged ≥9 years. Efficacy outcomes included: percentage of patients achieving ≥2-grade reduction from baseline and “clear” or “almost clear” for global severity score (treatment success); absolute change in inflammatory (ILs reduction); and noninflammatory lesion counts (NILs reduction). A random-effects network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted for the efficacy outcomes. Treatments were ranked with posterior rank plots and surface under cumulative ranking values.  Results: Eighty-five studies were included in the SLR/NMA. Topical triple-agent fixed-dose combination (FDC) gel (clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1%) and combinations of double-agent fixed-dose topical treatments with oral antibiotics (TOA3) consistently ranked in the top 3 treatments. Topical triple-agent FDC gel was numerically superior to TOA3 for treatment success (log-odds ratios: 1.84 [95% credible interval (CrI) 1.36 to 2.29]) and 1.69 (95% CrI: 1.01 to 2.32) vs placebo/vehicle). TOA3 was numerically superior to topical triple-agent FDC gel for reduction of ILs (mean difference: -8.21 [-10.33 to -6.13]) and -10.40 [-13.44 to -7.14] vs placebo/vehicle) and NILs (mean difference: -13.41 [-16.69 to -10.32] and -17.74 [-22.56 to -12.85] vs placebo/vehicle). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this SLR/NMA, topical triple-agent FDC gel was the most efficacious and safe treatment for moderate-to-severe acne. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):     doi:10.36849/JDD.8148.

Early and Sustained Acne Lesion Reductions With Fixed-Dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%/Adapalene 0.15%/Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1% Gel.

BACKGROUND: A once-daily, three-pronged approach using an antibiotic, antibacterial, and retinoid may provide faster acne improvement versus monotherapy or dual-combination products. This post hoc analysis compared threshold acne lesion reductions with clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% (CAB) gel—the first FDA-approved triple-combination topical acne product—to its dyads and vehicle. METHODS: Phase 2 (N=741; NCT03170388) and phase 3 (N=183; N=180; NCT04214639; NCT04214652), double-blind, 12-week studies randomized participants aged ≥9 years with moderate-to-severe acne to once-daily CAB or vehicle gel; the phase 2 study included three additional dyad gel arms. The pooled percentage of participants achieving ≥33%, ≥50%, and ≥75% reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions was evaluated. RESULTS: As early as week 4 in the phase 2 study, ≥33% reduction in inflammatory lesions occurred in a significantly greater percentage of CAB gel-treated participants (82.7%) than with the 3 dyads and vehicle (61.1-69.8%; P<0.05, all). These early reductions were sustained throughout the study, with significantly (P<0.05) more CAB-treated participants achieving ≥50% reduction in inflammatory lesions versus dyads and vehicle from weeks 4-12. By week 12, CAB led to substantial reductions of ≥75% in significantly more participants than dyads and vehicle (65.8% vs 49.9-51.2% and 21.6%; P<0.05, all). Similar trends were observed for noninflammatory lesions in the phase 2 study and for inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions in the phase 3 studies. CONCLUSIONS: Lesion count reductions were significantly greater with CAB versus its dyads and vehicle gel as early as week 4, with substantial reductions observed after 12 weeks of treatment. This faster-acting and sustained efficacy of CAB gel—coupled with its optimized formulation, once-daily dosing, and tolerability—may positively impact treatment adherence. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(3):     doi:10.36849/JDD.7907.

Evaluation of the efficacy of maintenance therapy for acne vulgaris using adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel for 24 weeks and assessment of atrophic acne scars using three-dimensional image analysis.

Maintenance therapy after remission of inflammation is strongly recommended in the guideline for the treatment of acne vulgaris published by the Japanese Dermatological Association. One advantage of continuing maintenance therapy is the alleviation of atrophic scarring. This study investigated the efficacy of maintenance therapy using adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel, and its effects on atrophic scarring. Overall, 126 patients were randomized to the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide group (n = 40), benzoyl peroxide group (n = 44), and control group (without maintenance treatment drugs; n = 42), and 111 of these completed a trial lasting 24 weeks. As the primary endpoint, the treatment success rate (the percentage of patients in whom the number of inflammatory lesions was maintained at ≤10) was 89.2% in the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide group, 87.5% in the benzoyl peroxide group, and 47.4% in the control group. Compared with the control group, the success rates were significantly higher in the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide and benzoyl peroxide groups (P = 0.0006 for both). As one of the secondary endpoints, the rate of change in the number of atrophic scars showed significant improvement from the baseline in the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide and benzoyl peroxide groups at week 24 (P = 0.0004 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Although the three-dimensional image analysis parameters did not change significantly from the baseline in the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide and benzoyl peroxide groups at week 24, significant worsening was noted in the control group (P = 0.0276 for affected area, P = 0.0445 for volume, and P = 0.0182 for maximum depth). Adverse drug reactions were noted in three patients in the adapalene/benzoyl peroxide group (7.5%) but not in the benzoyl peroxide group. These findings suggest that maintenance therapy using adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel is effective in preventing the worsening of scars in Japanese patients with acne vulgaris.

Tolerability and Efficacy of Clindamycin/Tretinoin versus Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris is the most common dermatological disorder worldwide, causing significant physical and psychological morbidity. Topical combination therapy has shown superior efficacy compared to monotherapy, especially when combined with retinoids. Few studies have directly compared combined formulations. This evaluator-blinded pilot study compared the efficacy and tolerability of two marketed topical combination acne gels, clindamycin 1%-tretinoin 0.025% (CT) and benzoyl peroxide 2.5%-adapalene 0.1% (BA) in 20 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Gels were applied daily on opposite sides of the face for 21 days. The primary outcome was difference in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) at the end of treatment. Secondary endpoints were skin moisture content measurement, Investigators' Global Assessment, subject self-assessments (SSA) of burning/stinging, itching, erythema, and dryness/scaling, and Comparative Participant Satisfaction Questionnaire (CPSQ). Efficacy was assessed by inflammatory and non- inflammatory acne efflorescences counts. TEWL increased significantly for both CT and BA (+57.74%, P=0.002; +58.77%, P<0.001); skin moisture content significantly decreased only for BA (-16.47%, P=0.02). Only BA showed a significant increase in erythema and dryness/scaling (P=0.027 and P=0.014) and in SSA burning/stinging (P=0.04). Patient satisfaction evaluation also reflected the strong BA irritation. Although CT and BA both reduced acne lesions (P<0.001) and more patients preferred to continue with CT, subject perception of acne improvement was higher for BA. These findings suggest that CT and BA have similar efficacy in the treatment of mild to moderate papulopustular acne. However, CT was better tolerated than BA by both medical and subject evaluation. CT is an effective and tolerated treatment option.J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(3):295-301. doi:10.36849/JDD.2021.5641.

Incorporation of benzoyl peroxide nanocrystals into adapalene-loaded solid lipid microparticles: Part II - Solid-in-Oil dispersion of nanoparticulate benzoyl peroxide.

Benzoyl peroxide as a monotherapeutic and in combination with adapalene is a cornerstone of current acne therapy, but its unfavourable side effect profile reduces the therapeutic value of this compound. The incorporation into an adapalene-loaded microparticulate lipid matrix, which - via the principle of targeted erosion - allows the targeted release of active substances in the hair follicles, is a promising approach to reduce side effects such as skin redness, increased scaling and allergic reactions. However, there are challenges to the production of such a vehicle which require a galenic solution. That is in particular the redispersion of nanoparticulate benzoyl peroxide in lipids while maintaining its nanodisperse character. In the present work, the lamellar liquid crystalline phase of a binary water/phospholipid system is used to stabilize a nanosuspension during freeze-drying. Both after redispersing in water and after dispersing in nonpolar fat phases, the initial size of the nanosuspension was recovered with only minor deviations. The found cryoprotective effect of purified phospholipid allows the generation of highly concentrated solid-in-oil systems both in fat phases liquid at room temperature and in lipid melts, which after solidification can serve as starting material for the preparation of lipid microparticles loaded with benzoyl peroxide nanocrystals.

How to Increase Adherence and Compliance in Acne Treatment? A Combined Strategy of SMS and Visual Instruction Leaflet.

INTRODUCTION: Acne is a common skin disease with important psychosocial impact. Often inadequate compliance affects the efficacy of the therapy. Because of emerging use of mobile and electronic health technology, the recent literature evaluated the helpfulness of the tools in medication adherence. The first goal of our study was to evaluate the adherence to therapy with topical adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide (A-BPO) 2.5% in different groups of patients who received explicative information supported by different strategies. The second goal was to evaluate the patient's quality of life and skin parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 126 subjects with mild to severe acne vulgaris. They were randomized into 3 groups of 42 patients each and applied daily topical A-BPO (0.3%, 2.5%) for 12 weeks. The first group (G1) was trained on the gel application by an explicative leaflet. The second group (G2) received the same instructions as group 1 and a daily SMS to remind them of the application of the product. The third group (G3) only received standard instructions. Evaluations were performed at the beginning of treatment (T0) and after 12 weeks (T1): assessment of acne severity using the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) Scale for Acne Severity, quality of life by the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) and the Patient-Doctor Relationship Depth-of-Relationship Scale (PDRDS), skin pH, grade of hydration and adherence to treatment with a 7-day recall calendar were also measured. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of therapy, we observed a reduction in IGA in all groups confirming the clinical efficacy of the product. In the multiple comparison analysis of IGA score reduction, a significant difference was found in G2 versus G1 and G2 versus G3, while the G1 versus G3 comparison was not statistically significant. However, the leaflet group (G1) showed better results compared to the no-leaflet group (G3). Supporting these data, we observed that adherence days correlated positively with the improvement of the single parameters. Moreover, we observed that SMS and leaflet groups had a greater improvement in quality of life evaluated by CADI and PDRDS scores. CONCLUSIONS: According to our data, this experimental setup based on text message service and leaflet service is inexpensive and easy to use. Physicians could consider using these items in their practice to enhance patient adherence and satisfaction as well as treatment outcome.

Anti-Inflammatory Dose Doxycycline Plus Adapalene 0.3% and Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Gel for Severe Acne

Acne is primarily an inflammatory disease. Anti-inflammatory dose doxycycline (40mg: 30mg immediate release and 10mg delayed release beads) is approved for the treatment of rosacea but with demonstrated efficacy for acne. Fixed combination adapalene 0.3% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel is a once-daily formulation approved for the topical management of acne vulgaris. It has both anti-inflammatory and anti-comedogenic properties. Options for management of severe acne are somewhat limited; many patients are not candidates for or refuse treatment with isotretinoin. Systemic antibiotics may be indicated; acne treatment guidelines emphasize antibiotic stewardship in light of increasing concerns about antibiotic resistance and call for the judicious use of conventional systemic antibiotics. This single-center, open label pilot study involving 20 subjects with severe acne assessed the effects of combination treatment using anti-inflammatory dose doxycycline plus adapalene 0.3% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel on IGA scores as well as inflammatory lesion, non-inflammatory lesion, and nodule counts. By week 12, 95% of subjects had at least a 2-grade improvement in IGA scores. Reductions in inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts were statistically significant beginning at week 4 and continuing through week 12. By week 4, the percentage of patients with 0 nodules was 70%, compared to baseline of 20%. Further improvements were seen through week 12. Treatment was well-tolerated with no serious treatment-related adverse events. Combination treatment with anti-inflammatory dose doxycycline plus combination adapalene 0.3% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel is safe and effective for management of severe acne. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(9):924-927.

Patient-Reported Outcomes in Acne Patients With Skin of Color Using Adapalene 0.3%-Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%: A Prospective Real-World Study

Background: Patients with skin of color (SOC) and Fitzpatrick skin types (FST) IV­VI frequently develop acne. Objective: Evaluate subject-reported outcomes after treatment with adapalene 0.3%/ benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel (0.3% A/BPO) in subjects with SOC and moderate to severe acne vulgaris. Methods: This was an open-label interventional study conducted in 3 countries (Mauritius, Singapore, and USA) in subjects of Asian, Latin-American, or black/African-American ethnicity, with an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) of moderate or severe facial acne (enrollment 2:1), and FST IV to VI. For 16 weeks, subjects applied 0.3% A/BPO (once daily) and utilized a skin care regimen (oil control foam wash and oil control moisturizer SPF30). Assessments included quality of life (QoL) and subject questionnaires, IGA, Investigator's Global Assessment of Improvement (GAI), postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH; if present at baseline), and safety. Results: Fifty subjects were enrolled: 20 Asians, 17 black/African-Americans, and 13 Latin-Americans. Most had FST IV (74%) or V (22%), with moderate (70%; IGA 3) or severe (30%; IGA 4) acne. At week 16, 77% of subjects were satisfied or very satisfied with treatment, 56% of subjects had an IGA of 0 or 1 (clear/almost clear), and 87% had a good to excellent improvement in GAI. QoL improved throughout the study for all subjects; subject selection of "no effect at all" of acne on QoL increased from 16% of subjects at baseline to 55% at week 16. Of those with baseline PIH (60%), all were rated very mild to moderate. By week 16, the majority (75%) had no or very mild PIH, and the mean decrease in PIH was 27%. There were no adverse events leading to study discontinuation. Conclusion: Patients with SOC and moderate or severe facial acne reported high satisfaction with 0.3% A/BPO treatment and experienced good tolerability, improved QoL, treatment efficacy, and improvement in PIH. Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT02932267 J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(6):514-520.

Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Up to 48 Weeks' Treatment with Topical Adapalene 0.3%/Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Gel in the Prevention and Reduction of Atrophic Acne Scars in Moderate and Severe Facial Acne.

BACKGROUND: Scarring is a frequent consequence of acne. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to evaluate the effect of up to 48 weeks' treatment with adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (A0.3/BPO2.5) gel on atrophic scars in moderate or severe acne vulgaris. METHODS: In Part 1 of this two-part study, A0.3/BPO2.5 gel or vehicle was applied on each half-face for 24 weeks in a randomized, investigator-blinded, split-face design. Part 2 was a 24-week, open-label extension phase during which A0.3/BPO2.5 gel was applied on both sides of the face. Assessments included investigator atrophic acne scar count, Scar Global Assessment (SGA), acne lesion count, local tolerability, and safety. RESULTS: Of the 45 subjects entering Part 2, 41 completed the 48-week study. At baseline (Part 1), most subjects had moderate acne (93.3%) with mild scars (62.2%). The scar count decrease from baseline was 21.7% at week 24 and 26.9% at week 48 on the half-face treated for 48 weeks with A0.3/BPO2.5. For the half-face treated with vehicle followed by 24 weeks' A0.3/BPO2.5, scar count increased by 16.7% at week 24 (under vehicle) and decreased by 22.7% between weeks 24 and 48. The half-face that received 48 weeks' A0.3/BPO2.5 had a lower final atrophic scar count (mean 8.4 vs. 9.9 for the half-face with 24 weeks' vehicle then 24 weeks' A0.3/BPO2.5) and a higher percentage of SGA clear/almost clear. High reductions in acne lesions between baseline and week 48 were observed for both sides of the face. Long-term treatment with A0.3/BPO2.5 was safe and well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in atrophic acne scars and acne lesions observed after 24 weeks of treatment with A0.3/BPO2.5 gel were maintained with treatment up to 48 weeks. The additional improvement in atrophic scar count with 48 weeks' A0.3/BPO2.5 treatment, compared to delayed application at 24 weeks, highlights the importance of early initiation of effective acne treatment to prevent and reduce the formation of acne scars. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02735421.

The Role of Topical Retinoids in Prevention and Treatment of Atrophic Acne Scarring: Understanding the Importance of Early Effective Treatment

Atrophic acne scarring is a frequent occurrence among acne patients. These facial marks are often very emotionally distressing for the patient and can result in adverse impact to quality of life. While most clinicians consider scarring as a sequela of moderate to severe acne, recent studies have found that scars are also associated with mild acne. Risk factors include time to effective treatment, severity of acne, family history, and excoriations. New data shows that early and effective acne treatment can reduce the development of new scars, confirming the widespread perception of this approach in prevention. It is also becoming clear that the inflammatory process drives both the development of acne lesions and atrophic scars. This implies that inhibiting activation of inflammatory pathways early is key to preventing scars. Data also suggests a useful role for adapalene for the treatment of well-established acne scars with scar remodeling accompanied by the production of new collagen and elastic tissue. Acne guidelines and recommendations continue to highlight the central role of retinoids, with fixed-dose combination retinoids being particularly important due to targeting of multiple inflammatory pathophysiologic factors and for patient convenience. Higher concentrations of retinoids such as adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (A0.3/BPO2.5) have shown increased efficacy, particularly among patients with moderately severe and severe acne ­ a population at high risk for scarring. Further, controlled study of A0.3/BPO2.5 in patients with moderate acne (mean, 40 acne lesions per half face) and mild-moderate scarring demonstrated A0.3/BPO2.5 was significantly superior to vehicle in reducing scar counts from baseline over 24 weeks. While scar counts lessened on the A0.3/BPO2.5 side, counts increased on the vehicle side during the study. This occurred in the setting of active acne, where the efficacy of A/BPO is well known, emphasizing the dual actions of A0.3/BPO2.5 in both treatment and prevention. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(3):255-260.

The safety and efficacy of four different fixed combination regimens of adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris: results from a randomised controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Combined use of a retinoid and antimicrobial is recommended for acne, however, local tolerability issues may compromise patient adherence and treatment outcome. OBJECTIVES: This multicentre, single-blinded controlled study was designed to determine whether modified adapalene/benzoyl peroxide (A/BPO, Epiduo®, Galderma, France) regimens improve local tolerability during the first four weeks of treatment without impairing efficacy at Week 12. MATERIALS & METHODS: In total, 120 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne received, during the first four weeks, A/BPO daily overnight (A/BPO-EN), A/BPO daily for three hours (A/BPO-3h), A/BPO daily overnight and a provided moisturizer lotion (A/BPO-moisturizer), or A/BPO every other night (A/BPO-EoN). Local tolerance assessments included signs and symptoms, global worst score (GWS), and total sum score (TSS). Efficacy was assessed based on lesion counts, investigator global assessment (IGA), and total lesion count reduction. Adherence, subject satisfaction, and overall safety were also assessed. RESULTS: The mean TSS was significantly reduced at Week 1 with A/BPO-EoN vs. A/BPO-EN (p<0.05), and A/BPO-EoN led to the lowest GWS and a decrease in severity of stinging/burning and erythema (p<0.05). The A/BPO-moisturizer regimen prevented dryness and scaling compared with the A/BPO-EN regimen. The median decrease in lesions from baseline was similar in all groups: up to 67% for total, 72% for inflammatory, and 70% for non-inflammatory lesion counts. Adherence, IGA, patient satisfaction, and overall safety were excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Modulating treatment regimens during the first four weeks improved local tolerability without impacting overall efficacy outcome after 12 weeks and may improve treatment adherence during the first weeks of therapy.

Management of comedonal acne vulgaris with fixed-combination topical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris (acne) is the most common skin disease we see in dermatology practice. Clinically, it is characterized by a combination of open and closed comedones (formally referred to as noninflammatory lesions) and inflammatory papules and pustules. Comedonal acne is more typical in young adolescents, but can occur in combination with inflammatory papules and pustules at any time. Topical retinoids have long been advocated for the treatment of comedonal acne. AIMS: Given the increasing recognition of the inflammatory nature of acne and the synergistic benefits seen with fixed combinations we review the latest clinical data to provide guidance on optimal management of comedonal acne. METHODS: An English language literature search of Medline, EMBASE, and the Web of Science using key terms (acne, comedonal, noninflammatory, clinical trials) was conducted, and relevant articles reviewed. RESULTS: Comparative data is sparse, but we show the importance of fixed combinations with and without retinoids, where treatment benefits are comparable. Adapalene 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel has been shown to be comparable to clindamycin 1%-benzoyl peroxide 5% gel, and adapalene 0.3%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel. A meta-analysis suggested that clindamycin 1.2%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel was more effective than clindamycin-benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in noninflammatory lesions, and two equivalent clinical programs suggest additional benefits of higher doses of benzoyl peroxide (3.75% vs 2.5%) in this fixed combination. CONCLUSIONS: Clindamycin 1.2%-benzoyl peroxide 3.75% gel may afford similar benefits to adapalene 0.3%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel in this sometimes difficult to treat patient population.

Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 0.3%/2.5%: A Safe and Effective Acne Therapy in All Skin Phototypes.

BACKGROUND: Acne affects individuals of all races and ethnicities; however, lighter and darker skin phototypes face different treatment challenges that may affect treatment response and tolerability. This analysis investigated possible differences in the efficacy and safety of the fixed dose combination of 0.3% adapalene with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5%) in subjects with Fitzpatrick Skin Types (FST) I-VI.

METHODS: This was a post-hoc analysis of a Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study of moderate to severe acne in subjects with FST I-VI. Subjects received A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5%, A/BPO gel 0.1%/2.5% (benchmark), or vehicle, once daily for 12 weeks. Efficacy measurements included success rate (IGA of Clear or Almost Clear), change in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions from baseline to week 12, safety, and tolerability. The intent to treat (ITT) and safety populations were analyzed. Demographics and disposition were analyzed with descriptive statistics; categorical variables by frequency and percentage; and continuous variables with means, medians, minimum, maximum, and standard deviations.

RESULTS: The A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% treatment group included 128 subjects with FST I-III, and 89 subjects with FST IV-VI. At week 12, A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% was safe, tolerable, and significantly superior to vehicle for all FST and severity groups in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion reduction (P less than equal to .05). Compared to baseline, 32% of subjects with FST I-III were clear or almost clear, compared to 7% in the vehicle group (P=.001). In FST IV-VI, 28% of subjects were clear or almost clear, compared to 15% for vehicle (P=NS). In all treatment groups and skin phototypes, week 12 tolerability scores were similar to baseline scores, and tolerability scores for most subjects of all skin phototypes were "none" or "mild" for all measures.

SUMMARY: We report that the fixed dose combination of A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% is efficacious and safe in patients with FST I-VI with moderate and severe inflammatory acne.

Clinicaltrials.gov registry: NCT01880320

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):574-581.

Adapalene/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 0.3%/2.5%: Effective Acne Therapy Regardless of Age or Gender.

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris affects a diverse group of people, and there is an increasingly wide variety of acne treatments. Because of the many options, clinicians have a better ability to individualize treatment; however, achieving optimal results relies on understanding how various agents perform in specific population segments. Fixed-combination adapalene plus benzoyl peroxide (A/BPO) is a first-line recommended acne therapy and is available in two adapalene concentrations (0.1% and 0.3%) combined with BPO 2.5%. This analysis investigated whether gender and age have an impact on either the efficacy or safety of topical A/BPO 0.3%.

METHODS: A post-hoc subanalysis was performed on data from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallelgroup, 12-week study of A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% or vehicle gel in subjects ≥ 12 years old with moderate to severe acne vulgaris (Investigator global assessment [IGA] of 3 or 4). Efficacy measurements included achievement of an IGA of clear (0) or almost clear (1), and change in lesion counts from baseline to week 12. Safety measures included adverse events and cutaneous tolerability. The intent to treat (ITT) and safety populations were analyzed.

RESULTS: The A/BPO gel 0.3%/2.5% treatment group included 217 subjects. Among the subjects, 111 were 12-17 years old and 106 were ≥ 18 years old; 104 were male and 113 were female. A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% was safe, tolerable, and significantly superior to vehicle in success rates (IGA 0 or 1) and reduction of inflammatory/noninflammatory lesions (P≤0.05) across both age groups and genders.

CONCLUSIONS: A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% treatment achieved success and was equally effective and safe in younger vs older subjects and in males vs females. These results support the use of A/BPO 0.3%/2.5% in all subjects 12 and older.

Clinicaltrials.gov registry: (NCT01880320)

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(6):582-589.

Adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel reduces the risk of atrophic scar formation in moderate inflammatory acne: a split-face randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of current topical acne treatments in mitigating the potential for acne scarring is not known. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (A/BPO) gel compared to vehicle in reducing the risk of acne scarring. METHODS: Multicentre, randomized, investigator-blinded, vehicle-controlled, split-face study conducted over 6 months. Subjects were adults with active moderate facial acne vulgaris and at least 10 atrophic acne scars at baseline. Efficacy evaluations included counts of atrophic acne scars and primary acne lesions as well as a Scar Global Assessment (SGA; 5-point scale). RESULTS: After 6 months treatment, scar counts remained stable with A/BPO while increasing by approximately 25% with vehicle (mean scar count 11.58 vs. 13.55, respectively, at Month 6; P = 0.036). The percentage of subjects with a SGA of 'almost clear' (hardly visible scars) increased from 9.7% to 45.2% with A/BPO, whereas it did not change with vehicle (P = 0.0032). Total acne lesion counts decreased by 65% with A/BPO and 36% with vehicle (mean lesion count 8.5 vs. 16.1, respectively, at Month 6; P < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: Relatively small study group (31 subjects). CONCLUSION: Topical long-term treatment with A/BPO is effective in reducing the risk of atrophic scars and improving the global severity of scarring.

Accelerated Onset of Action and Increased Tolerability in Treating Acne With a Fixed-Dose Combination Gel.

Nonadherence to topical acne therapies is a major contributing factor to poor treatment outcomes. Multiple contributing factors have been identified, including a lack of perceived efficacy and fear of side effects. A fixed-dose combination gel of adapalene/benzoyl peroxide gel, 0.1%/2.5% (A-BPO) is an efficacious and safe treatment for a range of acne severities in patients as young as 9 years old. A meta-analysis of 14 clinical studies involving A-BPO was conducted to assess the 4 week efficacy and overall tolerability of this treatment. Over 2,300 subjects were included in the analysis. Mean total, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory lesion counts decreased at 4 weeks by 40.8%, 46.2%, and 37.5%, respectively. Worst post-baseline tolerability scores for stinging/burning, dryness, scaling, and erythema were none or mild for a majority of subjects. The result of this meta-analysis add to the body of literature supporting the use of A-BPO in a variety of acne patients and shows that A-BPO provides meaningful clinical results within 4 weeks and will be well-tolerated for a majority of patients. With a demonstrable quick onset of action and high tolerability, A-BPO may improve adherence, and ultimately treatment outcomes, by addressing factors that contribute to nonadherence.

Multicenter study for efficacy and safety evaluation of a fixeddose combination gel with adapalen 01% and benzoyl peroxide 2 5% (Epiduo® for the treatment of acne vulgaris in Brazilian population

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The current options for the treatment of acne vulgaris present many mechanisms of action. For several times, dermatologists try topical agents combinations, looking for better results. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a topical, fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris in the Brazilian population. METHODS: This is a multicenter, open-label and interventionist study. Patients applied 1.0 g of the fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel on the face, once daily at bedtime, during 12 weeks. Lesions were counted in all of the appointments, and the degree of acne severity, overall improvement, tolerability and safety were evaluated in each visit. RESULTS: From 79 recruited patients, 73 concluded the study. There was significant, fast and progressive reduction of non-inflammatory, inflammatory and total number of lesions. At the end of the study, 75.3% of patients had a reduction of >50% in non-inflammatory lesions, 69.9% in inflammatory lesions and 78.1% in total number of lesions. Of the 73 patients, 71.2% had good to excellent response and 87.6% had satisfactory to good response. In the first week of treatment, erythema, burning, scaling and dryness of the skin were frequent complaints, but, from second week on, these signals and symptoms have reduced. CONCLUSION: The fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel is effective, safe, well tolerated and apparently improves patient compliance with the treatment.

Do tutorials on application method enhance adapalene-benzoyl peroxide combination gel tolerability in the treatment of acne?

Fixed-dose combination adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel (A-BPO) has rarely been studied for Asian acne patients, while they have complained of local irritations more often when applying individual components. In this study, we compared A-BPO gel with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) in terms of efficacy and tolerability in Korean patients first, and assessed the clinical benefit of a dermatological tutorial on application technique in reducing irritations for A-BPO. This study was conducted as a single-blind controlled split-face trial for a 12-week period. Each half facial side of 85 patients was randomly assigned to either A-BPO or BPO. Success rate, lesion counts and safety profiles were evaluated (analysis I). During initial assignment, all patients were further randomized to either dermatological tutorial (DT) or non-tutorial (NT) subgroups depending on the presence of dermatologists' tutorials for application methods to their A-BPO sides. Clinical data of the A-BPO side was compared between two subgroups (analysis II). As a result, A-BPO gel outperformed BPO, demonstrating better efficacy in success rates and lesion counts as early as 1 week. However, A-BPO proved significantly less tolerable compared with both BPO and previous A-BPO data from Caucasians. Bioengineering measurements further confirmed clinical data (analysis I). The DT subgroup achieved much better tolerability with comparable therapeutic efficacies compared with the NT subgroup (analysis II). In conclusion, A-BPO demonstrated higher efficacies in acne compared with BPO in Korean patients, while skin irritation levels were notable concurrently. Dermatologists' education for application methods would significantly decrease these side-effects, maintaining superior efficacy levels.

Multicenter study for efficacy and safety evaluation of a fixeddose combination gel with adapalen 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (Epiduo® for the treatment of acne vulgaris in Brazilian population.

BACKGROUND: The current options for the treatment of acne vulgaris present many mechanisms of action. For several times, dermatologists try topical agents combinations, looking for better results. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a topical, fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris in the Brazilian population. METHODS: This is a multicenter, open-label and interventionist study. Patients applied 1.0 g of the fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel on the face, once daily at bedtime, during 12 weeks. Lesions were counted in all of the appointments, and the degree of acne severity, overall improvement, tolerability and safety were evaluated in each visit. RESULTS: From 79 recruited patients, 73 concluded the study. There was significant, fast and progressive reduction of non-inflammatory, inflammatory and total number of lesions. At the end of the study, 75.3% of patients had a reduction of >50% in non-inflammatory lesions, 69.9% in inflammatory lesions and 78.1% in total number of lesions. Of the 73 patients, 71.2% had good to excellent response and 87.6% had satisfactory to good response. In the first week of treatment, erythema, burning, scaling and dryness of the skin were frequent complaints, but, from second week on, these signals and symptoms have reduced. CONCLUSION: The fixed-dose combination of adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel is effective, safe, well tolerated and apparently improves patient compliance with the treatment.