LIVE BLOG: Optimizing Acne Therapy with Acanya Gel [Product Theater – Medicis, a division of Valeant]
In this live blog from the 11th Annual SDPA Conference in Atlanta, Dr. Firas Hougeir spoke in a Product Theater sponsored by Valeant on the use of Acanya for Acne Treatment.
A Little Bit on Acne
Acne affects approx. 40-50 millions individuals in the US alone.
Nearly 85% of adolescents and young adults between ages of 12 – 24 develop acne.
Clinical presentation and morphologic evidence of acne varies.
Acne is more common in boys than girls during adolescence but incidence is higher in women during adulthood.
Acanya
It was created with 4 goals in mind:
- goal 1: once daily application
- goal 2: elegant aqueous gel formation that contains no surfactants, preservatives or alcohol
- goal 3: efficient delivery of benzoyl peroxide into the skin
- goal 4: formulated with tolerability in mind
Indicated for the topical treatment of Acne Vulgaris in patients age 12 and up.
Once daily dosing effective against both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions.
Phase 3 Pivotal Studies
Objective:
Evaluate efficacy, safety and tolerability of clindamycin and benxoyl peroxide gel against individual active ingredients and vehicle treatment of patients with moderate to severe acne.
Study Stats
2813 male and female subjects
12 to 70 years of age
One daily application for 12 weeks.
Baseline 4, 8, 12 week check-ins
You have 2 weeks to have something to happen if you want compliance to increase.
17-40 inflammatory lesions total
20-100 facial non-inflammatory total
(Moderate to severe acne patients)
Efficacy and Safety Analysis
Co-primary efficacy variables
Mean absolute change in inflammatory & non-inflammatory lesion counts at Week 12.
2813 subjects were broken up into 4 randomized groups
84-91% people continued the study
Study showed significant change from inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions based against use of vehicle, benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin phosphate, and Acanya.
EGSS Baseline= 4
EGSS after 12 weeks= 1
(When working with darker skin patients: explain scarring first. Your scars are not acne. Acne treated first, treatment of scars comes second.)
Summary of Efficacy
Gel demonstrated statistically significant efficiency.
Some Safety Evaluations
Erythema: Mild
Scaling: Mild
Itching: Mild
Acanya should not be used in combination with erythomycin containing products because of its clindamycin component.
Overall Summary
Acanya is the only FDA approved clindamycin/BPO fixed combination dosed once daily in the treatment of moderate to severe inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne vulgaris.
Image: Net Efekt
