There are several recent additions to the pharmaceutical arsenal in
the war against acne. Here's an overview of some of the new drugs in
the field.
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Adapalene:
"While adapalene and isotretinoin have comparable efficacy in treating
acne vulgaris of the face, adapalene showed significantly lower skin
irritation. This finding, say researchers at the departments of
dermatology, Aristotle University School of Medicine, Thessaloniki and
University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, suggests
'adapalene may begin a new era of treatment with low-irritant
retinoids'...Greater reductions in noninflammatory and inflammatory
lesion counts were produced by adapalene gel compared with
isotretinoin gel."
Doctor's Guide
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256C2C001BBF47
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Atrisone (Dapsone Topical Gel):
"The first Phase III study of Atrisone (dapsone topical gel; Atrix
Laboratories, Inc.) for the treatment of acne found the drug to be
statistically superior to vehicle on all four primary efficacy end
points and both secondary efficacy end points. 'Based on the results
of this initial Phase III study, Atrisone appears to be safe and
clinically effective for the management of acne,' said Dr. Stephen
Warren, Atrix's vice president of research and development. 'We have
surpassed our study objectives by achieving superiority on all six
endpoints.' Of particular significance, he said, the product appeared
to be effective at reducing inflammatory lesions, often associated
with the more severe cases of acne."
========================================
Azelaic Acid (Azelex)
AZELEX(R) (azelaic acid cream) 20% topical cream, the first new
prescription drug indicated for mild-to-moderate inflammatory acne
vulgaris in 10 years, was introduced today by Allergan Herbert, one of
the skin care companies of Allergan, Inc... AZELEX is a completely new
class of acne therapy, chemically different from all currently
available acne medications, including retinoids and alpha-hydroxy
acids. It is an azelaic acid cream made of a naturally occurring
substance found in wheat. AZELEX is believed to work uniquely with
dual modes of action -- antimicrobial activity and normalization of
keratinization (the process by which epithelial cells mature as they
move toward the skin surface and then slough off) -- which attacks two
of the major causes of acne. The majority of patients start to see
improvement in their acne within 4 weeks.
Hair Pharmacy
http://www.hairpharmacy.com/articles_azelaic_article1.html
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BenzaClin:
"Over-the-counter medications may work for mild cases of acne, but
more difficult cases usually require prescription antibiotics, both
topical and oral, that are available only through a physician. One
topical medication that has been shown to treat acne rapidly is
BenzaClinŽ (www.benzaclin.com). Launched just this year, BenzaClinŽ
combines clindamycin, the most widely prescribed topical antibiotic
preparation for the antimicrobial benzoyl peroxide, the most
frequently used topical preparation for the treatment of acne, in one
easy-to-use gel. Clindamycin acts to destroy acne-causing bacteria on
the skin while benzoyl peroxide helps prevent the growth of bacteria."
Brady World
http://www.bradyworld.com/chrisk/acne.htm
========================================
Periostat:
"A biopharmaceutical company whose main product helps people maintain
a healthy smile believes the same drug can also improve users'
complexions... CollaGenex decided to survey its 120-member sales force
and found out virtually every person had heard an anecdote from a
dentist about a patient whose acne or other skin condition had
improved... Last year, the company conducted a 60-patient study to
measure Periostat's effectiveness in treating adults with acne.
Patients taking Periostat experienced a greater than 50 percent
reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions... the drug also does
not have the undesirable side effects associated with some acne
medicines now on the market. A small percentage of people taking one
acne medicine, Accutane, have suffered serious side effects, such as
severe stomach pain, nausea and depression or mood changes."
Philadelphia Business Journal
http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2002/01/28/story4.html
========================================
Rosula Lotion:
"Doak Dermatologics, a subsidiary of Bradley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Nasdaq: BPRX), announces the introduction of prescription-only
RosulaŽ Lotion for the topical treatment of acne and rosacea... Rosula
Lotion is comprised of two well-accepted acne/rosacea agents which are
Sodium Sulfacetamide and Sulfur. With the addition of Urea, Doak
Dermatologics presents a significant departure from traditional
therapies to position Rosula Lotion as the next generation in
acne/rosacea treatment. Rosula Lotion efficiently helps to reduce
comedones, papules, pustules, redness and inflammatory skin lesions in
a non-irritating manner. Urea gently lifts away rough, flaky skin and
works synergistically as a keratolytic with Sulfur to open pores and
keep them open, which is an integral part of effective acne treatment.
Additionally, Urea, in combination with Sodium Sulfacetamide and
Sulfur, also soothes and relieves redness and inflamed skin, providing
relief for rosacea sufferers."
PSL Group: Doctor's Guide
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/22a352.htm
========================================
In addition to drug treatments, new laser and light-based therapies
for acne are showing a lot of promise:
"While it is estimated that more than 80 percent of the world's
population is affected by acne at some point during their life, there
is still no cure. Until recently, a combination of topical
preparations and oral medications, including antibiotics, has been
used almost exclusively with varying degrees of success to combat
acne. Now, several laser and light-based technologies have recently
been demonstrated to improve mild to moderate acne in a few treatment
sessions, and with no known systemic side effects."
Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/10/021024071722.htm
========================================
Search terms:
new acne medication
new acne drug
new acne treatment
acne research
adapalene
atrisone
azelaic acid
benzaclin
MBI 594AN
periostat
rosula
========================================
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