MAUI, HAWAII — An open-label trial of adapalene gel 0.3% offered a rare long-term look at efficacy beyond the standard duration of most clinical acne medication trials.
“Most of the trials that we do with retinoids or topical acne treatments are for 12 weeks, and you often wonder what happens to the patient after that 12 weeks,” Diane M. Thiboutot, M.D., said at an annual Hawaii dermatology seminar sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation.
A 1-year, open-label, 277-patient trial sponsored by Galderma Laboratories found that lesion counts continue to improve beyond the 50%–55% reduction from baseline seen at 12 weeks.
By 52 weeks, lesion counts had declined 80% from baseline.
Dryness was reported by 2.3% of patients at 12 months, compared with 8.2% at 3 months.
Discomfort and scaling, reported by 7.6% and 2.5% of patients, respectively, at 3 months, were no longer reported by patients 12 months into adapalene therapy.
These data are “exciting,” said Dr. Thiboutot, professor of dermatology at Pennsylvania State University, Hershey.
“As time goes on, patients do become accustomed” to the medication, she said.
“Most of the adverse events, as you might imagine, occurred during the first 12 weeks of the study,” Dr. Thiboutot added.
Dr. Thiboutot received funding for the clinical trial and also serves as a consultant to Galderma Laboratories.
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