Galderma Laboratories, L.P. today announced the availability of Epiduo(TM) (adapalene and benzoyl peroxide) Gel 0.1% / 2.5%, the first and only, once-daily, topical acne treatment that combines the well-tolerated retinoid adapalene, and benzoyl peroxide, a well-known antimicrobial with no evidence of promoting bacterial resistance. The new prescription acne treatment received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December, and will be on pharmacy shelves nationwide in the first quarter of 2009. Because acne is caused by a multitude of factors, management of the condition has traditionally relied on combination therapy. Established consensus guidelines recommend the use of a topical retinoid and an antimicrobial as first-line therapy for the majority of acne patients. By combining the two effective medications into one product, Epiduo(TM) Gel treats both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions with no evidence of promoting antibiotic resistance, simplifying the management of mild-to-moderate acne. Additionally, studies indicate that Epiduo(TM) Gel is more efficacious than either of its components used alone and significantly reduces total acne lesions by approximately 18 percent as early as the first week of treatment. Epiduo(TM) Gel also helps reduce the complexity of acne management by reducing the number of medications a patient has to remember to take on a daily basis, potentially increasing treatment adherence. The easy-to-apply Gel requires use only once a day. “By targeting three out of the four causes of acne in a single medication, Epiduo(TM) Gel offers doctors and patients an efficacious, easy-to-use tool to tackle mild-to-moderate acne,” said Dr. Linda Stein Gold, director of clinical research and division head of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. “Both adapalene and benzoyl peroxide have extensive histories of efficacy in treating acne, and the data demonstrates that Epiduo(TM) Gel has an even more powerful treatment effect than either monotherapy without compromising tolerability.”
