Desoximetasone 0.25% Spray for the Relief of Scaling in Adults With Plaque Psoriasis

J Drugs Dermatol. 2015 Aug;14(8):835-40.

Abstract

Data from two Phase 3, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled parallel studies were evaluated to determine the efficacy and safety of twice daily desoximetasone 0.25% spray for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. In addition to global disease assessments, scaling assessments were performed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, and 4. To qualify for inclusion, subjects were required to have a clinical diagnosis of stable plaque psoriasis involving ≥10% of the body surface area (BSA), a combined target lesion severity score (TLSS) of ≥7 for the target lesion, a plaque elevation score of ≥3 (moderate) for the target lesion, and a Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score of 3 (moderate) or 4 (severe) at baseline for the overall disease severity. At the baseline visit, the mean proportions of BSA affected by psoriasis were 17% (range 10% to 86%) in the desoximetasone 0.25% spray group and 16% (range 10% to 70%) in the vehicle spray group. Approximately 90% of the patients in each group had moderate to very severe scaling at baseline. Desoximetasone 0.25% spray was effective with significant improvements in overall severity and was well tolerated, with dryness, irritation, and pruritus at the application site being the only reported adverse events occurring in >1% of patients, each of which occurred in less than 3% of patients. As a large proportion of psoriasis patients (94%) have reported being bothered by scaling, the relief of scaling was examined in these studies. At week 1, 69.7% of patients on desoximetasone 0.25% spray had scaling that was considered clear / almost clear / mild compared with 48.3% for those on vehicle spray ( P = .0027). By week 4, the proportion of patients with clear / almost clear / mild scaling had risen to 83.9% in the desoximetasone 0.25% spray group (P < .0001). After four weeks of treatment, 66.4% of patients in the topical corticosteroid group had an overall improvement of at least two grades of disease severity. This demonstrates that desoximetasone 0.25% spray provided fast and effective relief of scaling in patients with plaque psoriasis affecting 10% to 86% of their BSA.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Body Surface Area
  • Desoximetasone / administration & dosage
  • Desoximetasone / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Psoriasis / drug therapy*
  • Psoriasis / pathology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Desoximetasone