Calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate superior in psoriasis

The recently approved two-compound product calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate [Daivobet, Dovobet, Taclonex], containing calcipotriol 50 µg/g and betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g in a stable formulation, is effective for the treatment of psoriasis, according to data presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) [San Francisco, California, US; March 2006]. A 52-week randomised, double-blind study in more than 600 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis showed that the treatment effect for the percentage of satisfactory responses was significantly greater in patients receiving calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate, compared with patients receiving calcipotriol alone, and numerically greater compared with patients alternating between calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate and calcipotriol alone. A pooled analysis of five randomised, double-blind studies involving more than 2500 patients with psoriasis showed that the two-compound calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate product provides greater efficacy compared with either agent used alone.