Poster highlights from MauiDerm 2014

Topical ointment improves atopic dermatitis severity

AN2728, a novel oxaborole compound and phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor with anti-inflammatory activity, developed by Anacor Pharmaceuticals, appeared to improve atopic dermatitis disease severity in adolescents, according to a poster abstract presented at MauiDerm 2014.

In a phase 2 study, researchers randomly assigned 86 patients, ages 12 to 17, with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis to receive treatment with the topical ointment once daily or twice daily. The patients were directed to treat one target lesion with a 2 percent formulation and another lesion with a 0.5 percent formulation.

Patients were evaluated at days one, eight, 15, 22, and 29. Researchers found that the greatest improvement over baseline on the AD severity index was noted in patients using the 2 percent formulation, twice daily (71 percent improvement). Sixty-two percent of lesions achieved total or partial clearance. This group also exhibited a 79 percent reduction in pruritus and the most improvement after 28 days in all five signs of AD, including erythema, pruritus, exudation, excoriation, and lichenification.

An open-label study, also presented at the meeting, assessed the systemic exposure, pharmacokinetics and safety of this dosage in patients 2 to 17 years old and found it to be safe an effective in this population.

CPD gel, ointment formulations equally effective for psoriasis vulgaris

Using calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate (CBD) in either gel or ointment form has no significant difference in effectiveness in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris, according to a poster presentation at the MauiDerm 2014 meeting. The study also showed that patients tended to prefer the medication in gel form over ointment because of the ease of use quicker application.

The study was completed over the course of 52 weeks and surveyed 257 patients, with 156 of the responses analyzed.

“The primary end point, difference in effectiveness between CBD gel and CBD ointment, was assessed by the number of patients with controlled (mild or very mild) disease, based on the Patient Global Assessment (PGA) questionnaire, at week 12,” the study stated.

The questionnaires assessed patient adherence behavior, treatment satisfaction and health-related quality of life.