Oleogel-S10 Proves Effective in Decreasing Dressing Change Frequency and Costs for Epidermolysis Bullosa Patients

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Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) typically involves frequent and labor-intensive dressing changes to protect the skin and promote healing. However, a recent study presented at the 2024 Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting in Toronto, ON, conference has shown promising results for a treatment that could significantly reduce the burden of these dressing changes.¹

Background and Methods

The study, conducted by a team of international researchers, focused on the use of Oleogel-S10, a birch triterpene-based gel, in patients with EB. This analysis is part of the broader EASE trial, which previously demonstrated that Oleogel-S10 accelerates wound healing in EB patients (NCT03068780).²

The primary objective of the analysis was to evaluate the impact of Oleogel-S10 on the frequency of dressing changes, the time spent on these changes, and the associated costs for patients with EB who required daily dressing changes at the beginning of the study.

The EASE study enrolled 223 patients with dystrophic or junctional EB, who were randomized to receive either Oleogel-S10 (109 patients) or a control gel (114 patients), in combination with standard dressings. For this analysis, the focus was on a subset of patients who required daily dressing changes at baseline. Historical data from a previous study was used to calculate the time and cost savings associated with reduced dressing changes.

Findings

The analysis revealed significant differences between the Oleogel-S10 and control gel groups. Among the patients requiring daily dressing changes at the start of the study, 35.6% of those treated with Oleogel-S10 experienced a reduction in the frequency of dressing changes by day 90, compared to only 10.6% of patients in the control group.

Quantitatively, the Oleogel-S10 group saw an average reduction of 1.36±0.24 weekly dressing changes, significantly higher than the 0.41±0.23 reduction observed in the control group (difference of -0.95±0.33; p=0.005). This reduction translates to almost 3 fewer dressing changes every 2 weeks for patients using Oleogel-S10, compared to nearly 1 fewer change for those using the control gel.

In terms of time savings, the Oleogel-S10 group saved an estimated 10.9 hours per week on dressing changes, broken down into 6.6 hours saved for patients and 4.4 hours for caregivers. In contrast, the control gel group saved only 4.0 hours per week, with 2.4 hours saved for patients and 1.6 hours for caregivers.

Additionally, there was a trend towards cost savings in favor of Oleogel-S10, suggesting that the reduction in dressing changes not only alleviates the physical and emotional burden on patients and caregivers but also offers economic benefits.

Conclusions

The findings from this study highlight the potential of Oleogel-S10 to significantly reduce the frequency of dressing changes in EB patients, leading to substantial time and cost savings. The reduction in dressing change frequency is particularly meaningful for EB patients and their families, who often face significant challenges in managing the condition, according to poster authors Bruckner et al.

They noted that further research and long-term studies could solidify its role in standard EB care, bringing much-needed relief to patients and their caregivers.

References

1. Bruckner A, Kiritsi D, Murrell D, et al. Oleogel-S10 reduces dressing changes burden and associated costs in patients with epidermolysis bullosa. Poster presented at the 2024 Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting, July 11-14; Toronto, ON.
2. Kern JS, Schwieger-Briel A, Löwe S, Sumeray M, Davis C, Martinez AE. Oleogel-S10 Phase 3 study "EASE" for epidermolysis bullosa: study design and rationale. Trials. 2019;20(1):350. Published 2019 Jun 11. doi:10.1186/s13063-019-3362-z