AT SDEF HAWAII DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
KAUAI, HAWAII (FRONTLINE MEDICAL NEWS) – A fixed combination of calcipotriene and betamethasone foam was significantly more effective than were foam versions of either drug separately in improving disease severity in adults with psoriasis on the body and scalp, based on data from a randomized trial of 302 patients.
The findings were presented in a poster at the Hawaii Dermatology Seminar sponsored by Global Academy for Medical Education/Skin Disease Education Foundation.
Approximately one-third of psoriasis patients fail to follow treatment instructions, and new options are needed to improve patient acceptability and efficacy, noted Dr. Mark G. Lebwohl of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and his colleagues.
In a three-arm study, adults with psoriasis of the body and scalp were randomized to 4 weeks of daily treatment with a combination 0.005% calcipotriene (Cal)/0.064% betamethasone dipropionate (BD) foam, Cal foam alone, or BD foam alone. Patient demographics were similar among the three groups.
Overall, 45% of patients in the combination group achieved treatment success on the body, and 53% achieved treatment success on the scalp after 4 weeks. Treatment success was defined as clear from baseline for patients with mild disease and clear or almost clear from baseline for patients with moderate to severe disease, based on Physician Global Assessment.
At 4 weeks, the combination foam was significantly more effective than either of its components for treating psoriasis on the body, and significantly more effective than Cal for the scalp. The week 4 treatment success rate for the scalp was not significantly different between the combination foam and BD foam alone.
Dr. Lebwohl is a consultant and investigator for multiple companies, including study sponsor Leo Pharma, which manufactures the combination foam. The remaining study coauthors are employees of or investigators for Leo Pharma.
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