Drugs
Conditions
News and resources
MIMS Supported Resources
PHARMACOLOGY
Calcipotriol is a vitamin D analogue that is thought to normalise the rate of skin cell turnover. Betamethasone is a potent corticosteroid with recognised anti-inflammatory effects.
Xamiol allows both of these active ingredients to be combined in a gel suitable for once-daily administration to the scalp.
CLINICAL STUDIES
In a clinical trial1 involving over 1,500 patients with scalp psoriasis the efficacy of Xamiol gel was compared to calcipotriol in the gel vehicle, betamethasone dipropionate in the gel vehicle or the gel vehicle alone, all used once daily.
The two-compound formulation (Xamiol) was significantly more effective than either compound or the vehicle alone from week two of treatment onwards. At week two, 57.5 per cent of patients achieved control (defined as absent or very mild disease) in the Xamiol group, compared to 18.8 per cent, 47.1 per cent and 11.8 per cent in the calcipotriol, betamethasone and placebo groups, respectively. At week four, 66.9 per cent of patients achieved control in the Xamiol group, compared to 23.5 per cent, 54.7 per cent and 14.7 per cent in the calcipotriol, betamethasone and placebo groups, respectively.
REFERENCES
1. Jemec G, Ganslandt C, Ortonne J et al. A new scalp formulation of calcipotriene plus betamethasone compared to its active ingredients and vehicle in the treatment of scalp psoriasis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 2008; 59(3):455-63.
Further information: Leo Pharma
