What is new in topical therapy for psoriasis?

This article describes a recent development in topical therapies for psoriasis and is based on a presentation given by the authors at a satellite symposium convened during the 19th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 6-10 October 2010, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Topical therapies are the mainstay of treatment for psoriasis; however, for optimal outcomes to be achieved, medications need to be used as prescribed. Patients with psoriasis often report low treatment adherence rates; the reasons for this are multifactorial, but can include specific aspects of the treatments themselves. For example, physical properties, ease of use and the vehicle in which the active ingredients are dissolved can all play a role in an individual patient's adherence to treatment. Of the available topical therapies, corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues are the treatment of choice, with combined efficacy that is superior to monotherapy with either agent. To permit simultaneous once-daily dosing, an ointment was formulated that allowed calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate to be delivered together; this two-compound ointment had an improved efficacy and tolerability profile vs. either compound alone. To provide an alternative for patients who may dislike ointments, but still want to benefit from the high efficacy of combination therapy, a two-compound (calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate) gel has recently been developed; data from phase 2 and phase 3 studies show that it is more effective than the comparators it was tested against, with fewer adverse events, and a rapid onset of action. In a series of one-to-one interviews recently conducted with 150 patients with psoriasis, gel and cream formulations were preferred for ease of use and cosmetic acceptability compared with ointment. The availability of this new gel thus increases patient choice. Ultimately, treatment should always be tailored to match individual patients' needs.