Efficacy and tolerance of adapalene cream 0.1% compared with its cream vehicle for the treatment of acne vulgaris

Adapalene gel 0.1% is approved for use in the treatment of acne vulgaris. A new cream formulation, adapalene cream 0.1%, has been developed. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene cream 0.1% in comparison with its cream vehicle, applied once daily for 12 weeks to patients with facial acne vulgaris. We used a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, comparative phase 3 study of adapalene cream 0.1% and cream vehicle. The study enrolled 237 patients (125 males and 112 females), aged 12 through 30 years, with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. Adapalene cream 0.1% demonstrated superior efficacy compared with its cream vehicle. Significantly lower numbers of total inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts were observed at the end of the study period in patients using adapalene cream 0.1% as opposed to those using cream vehicle (P<.05 compared with baseline, for all 3 parameters). Adapalene cream 0.1% caused more cutaneous side effects than the cream vehicle, but these were tolerated in most patients. In summary, the results of this study indicate that adapalene cream 0.1% demonstrates superior efficacy over cream vehicle for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Adapalene cream 0.1% also has excellent tolerability and is associated with a low incidence of cutaneous adverse events.

Psoriasis: treatment with a new topical corticosteroid

A total of 60 patients was treated for psoriasis in a double-blind, paired comparison study of 0.1% halcinonide with an active corticosteroid comparison drug as topical creams. An overall evaluation of comparative responses clearly demonstrated the superiority of halcinonide in a greater number of patients. Separate evaluation of the overall therapeutic responses also favored halcinonide, with a good to excellent response in 80% of patients compared to 65% with the control drug.