INTRODUCTION
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that has a profound influence on all aspects of quality of life, including physical, psychologic, social, sexual, and occupational elements. Most psoriasis patients are candidates for topical treatments, and the fixed dose combination of calcipotriene (CAL) and betamethasone dipropionate (BDP) is a well established treatment option based on strong scientific rationale for the single agents having complementary efficacy and safety.
The CAL/BDP combination is recommended both by European guidelines1-3 as a first line treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis and is also recommended by the Canadian Dermatology Association,4 and the American Academy of Dermatology.5
The currently marketed 0.005 w/w% CAL and 0.064 w/w% BDP fixed dose combinations are non-aqueous formulations containing petrolatum or mineral oil as the predominant excipient. Conversely, the CAL/BDP cream is an easily spreadable cream based on the proprietary PAD™ Technology (MC2 Therapeutics), which has enabled development of a water-containing formulation of CAL and BDP, despite their known pH-related instability when combined in the presence of water.6
Treatment non-adherence is a well-known problem in dermatology and an important reason for treatment failure.7,8 In a European survey of non-adherence of topical treatment in psoriasis, 73% of the patients did not adhere to the prescribed treatment regime. The principal reason for non-adherence was the greasiness of the product.9 Other studies have also demonstrated that adherence is affected by treatments which are greasy or oily, stain clothes, are difficult to apply, or dosed more than once daily.10,11
CAL/BDP cream has the in-use characteristics of an easily spreadable cream, which absorbs rapidly and completely into the skin leaving no sticky feeling behind. It is anticipated that these qualities will result in increased patient adherence and consequently, improved real-world treatment outcomes.12 The
The CAL/BDP combination is recommended both by European guidelines1-3 as a first line treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis and is also recommended by the Canadian Dermatology Association,4 and the American Academy of Dermatology.5
The currently marketed 0.005 w/w% CAL and 0.064 w/w% BDP fixed dose combinations are non-aqueous formulations containing petrolatum or mineral oil as the predominant excipient. Conversely, the CAL/BDP cream is an easily spreadable cream based on the proprietary PAD™ Technology (MC2 Therapeutics), which has enabled development of a water-containing formulation of CAL and BDP, despite their known pH-related instability when combined in the presence of water.6
Treatment non-adherence is a well-known problem in dermatology and an important reason for treatment failure.7,8 In a European survey of non-adherence of topical treatment in psoriasis, 73% of the patients did not adhere to the prescribed treatment regime. The principal reason for non-adherence was the greasiness of the product.9 Other studies have also demonstrated that adherence is affected by treatments which are greasy or oily, stain clothes, are difficult to apply, or dosed more than once daily.10,11
CAL/BDP cream has the in-use characteristics of an easily spreadable cream, which absorbs rapidly and completely into the skin leaving no sticky feeling behind. It is anticipated that these qualities will result in increased patient adherence and consequently, improved real-world treatment outcomes.12 The
