Early onset of action and efficacy of a combination of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate in the treatment of psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate are topical treatments for psoriasis vulgaris. Their mode of action is different. Improved risk/benefit may result with concomitant use of the two compounds together. A new vehicle has been created with the objective of obtaining optimal stability of both calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate in the combination product.


OBJECTIVE
We compared the clinical efficacy of a fixed combination of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate in a new vehicle to calcipotriene in the new vehicle, betamethasone in the new vehicle, and the new vehicle alone.


METHODS
This was an international, multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, 4-week study in patients with psoriasis vulgaris amenable to topical treatment.


RESULTS
The mean percentage reduction in PASI from baseline to end of treatment was 73.2% in the combination group (n = 301), 48.8% in the calcipotriene group (n = 308), 63.1% in the betamethasone dipropionate group (n = 312) and 28.8% in the new vehicle group (n = 107), (P < .001). The mean percentage reduction in PASI during the first week was 48.1%, 28.4%, 41.4%, and 21.5%, respectively (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
A combination product of calcipotriene 50 microg/g and betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g in the new vehicle shows superior efficacy with a more rapid onset of action than the new vehicle containing either constituent alone in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.
Papp
Kim A
KA
Probity Medical Research, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. kapapp@probitymedical.com
Guenther
Lyn
L
Boyden
Bernard
B
Larsen
Frederik Grønhøj
FG
Harvima
Rauno J
RJ
Guilhou
Jean Jacques
JJ
Kaufmann
Roland
R
Rogers
Sarah
S
van de Kerkhof
Peter C M
PC
Hanssen
Leif I
LI
Tegner
Eva
E
Burg
Günter
G
Talbot
David
D
Chu
Anthony
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; C055085:calcipotriene; C011175:betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate; D001623:Betamethasone; D002117:Calcitriol