Improvements in acne and skin oiliness with tazarotene 0.045% lotion in patients with oily skin

Abstract

Background

Excessive sebum production is a factor in acne development. Tazarotene 0.045% lotion has demonstrated reductions in acne lesions and acne-induced sequelae.

Objective

Evaluate efficacy, changes in skin oiliness, and safety with tazarotene 0.045% lotion in participants with moderate-to-severe acne and oily skin.

Methods

In two phase 3, double-blind, 12-week studies (NCT03168321; NCT03168334), participants aged ≥ 9 years with moderate-to-severe acne were randomized 1:1 to once-daily tazarotene 0.045% lotion or vehicle lotion (N = 1614). This pooled, post hoc analysis included only participants self-categorized with oily skin at baseline on the Acne-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire item 19 (scores: 0 [extremely oily] to 6 [not at all oily]). Inflammatory/noninflammatory lesion counts, treatment success, skin oiliness, treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), and cutaneous safety/tolerability were evaluated.

Results

In all participants with oily skin (n = 793), tazarotene provided greater reductions in inflammatory/noninflammatory lesions (p < 0.001, both) and greater treatment success rates versus vehicle (p < 0.01) at week 12. Over two-thirds of polymeric lotion-treated participants had subjective skin oiliness reductions by week 12, with around a third reporting ‘low/not’ oily skin. Tazarotene TEAE rates were similar to the overall population.

Conclusions

Once-daily treatment with tazarotene 0.045% polymeric emulsion lotion may help improve patient-perceived skin oiliness in those with moderate-to-severe acne.

Keywords:

• Tazarotene
• retinoid
• acne
• skin oiliness

Acknowledgments

Medical writing support was provided by Lynn M. Anderson, PhD of Prescott Medical Communications Group (Chicago, IL) with financial support from Ortho Dermatologics.

Disclosure statement

Emil A Tanghetti has served as speaker for Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Sun Pharma, Lilly, Galderma, AbbVie, and Dermira; served as a consultant/clinical studies for Hologic, Ortho Dermatologics, and Galderma; and is a stockholder for Accure. Joshua A Zeichner has served as advisor, consultant, or speaker for AbbVie, Allergan, Dermavant, Dermira, EPI Health, Galderma, Incyte, Johnson and Johnson, L'Oreal, Ortho Dermatologics, Pfizer, Procter and Gamble, Regeneron, Sun Pharma, UCB, Unilever, and Vyne. Michael Gold has acted as an investigator, advisor, speaker, and consultant for Ortho Dermatologics. Neil Sadick has served on advisory boards, as a consultant, investigator, speaker, and/or other and has received honoraria and/or grants/research funding from Almirall, Actavis, Allergan, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Bausch Health, Bayer, Biorasi, BTG, Carma Laboratories, Cassiopea, Celgene Corporation, Cutera, Cynosure, DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Eclipse Medical, Eli Lilly and Company, Endo International, EndyMed Medical, Ferndale Laboratories, Galderma, Gerson Lehrman Group, Hydropeptide, Merz Aesthetics, Neostrata, Novartis, Nutraceutical Wellness, Palomar Medical Technologies, Prescriber’s Choice, Regeneron, Roche Laboratories, Samumed, Solta Medical, Storz Medical AG, Suneva Medical, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, and Venus Concept. Fran E Cook-Bolden has served as consultant, speaker, investigator for Galderma, LEO Pharma, Almirall, Cassiopea, Ortho Dermatologics, Investigators Encore, Foamix, Hovione, Aclaris, and Cutanea. Leon H Kircik has acted as an investigator, advisor, speaker, and consultant for Ortho Dermatologics. Linda Stein Gold has served as investigator/consultant or speaker for Ortho Dermatologics, LEO Pharma, Dermavant, Incyte, Novartis, AbbVie, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, UCB, Arcutis, and Lilly. Jonathan S Weiss is a consultant, speaker, advisor, and/or researcher for AbbVie, Ortho Dermatologics, Janssen Biotech, Dermira, Almirall, Brickell Biotech, DermTech, and Scynexis. Stephen K Tyring has acted as an investigator for Ortho Dermatologics. James Q Del Rosso has served as a consultant, investigator, and/or speaker for Ortho Dermatologics, Abbvie, Amgen, Arcutis, Dermavant, EPI Heath, Galderma, Incyte, LEO Pharma, Lilly, MC2 Therapeutics, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, and UCB. Eric Guenin is an employee of Ortho Dermatologics and may hold stock and/or stock options in its parent company.

Data availability statement

Data are available upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ortho Dermatologics.