Calcipotriol/Betamethasone Dipropionate Foam: A Review in Plaque Psoriasis

Esther S. Kim, James E. Frampton

Calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam (Enstilar(®)) is a once-daily synthetic vitamin D3 analogue and synthetic corticosteroid fixed-dose combination foam formulation that is indicated for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults. In randomized, multicentre trials, treatment with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam for 4 weeks resulted in greater proportions of patients achieving treatment success [of the body (i.e. trunk and/or limbs), as assessed by a physician] compared with 4 weeks' treatment with the foam vehicle, individual components as foam, or calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate fixed-dose combination as an ointment, or 8 weeks' treatment with the fixed-dose combination as a topical suspension. Treatment with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam resulted in significantly lower modified psoriasis area and severity index scores and, where assessed, greater improvements from baseline to week 4 in itch-related sleep loss and health-related quality of life than its comparators; results were mixed for patient-assessed improvements in itch. Overall, adverse events were mostly mild or moderate in severity, and the most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were application-site events. Notably, there were no reports of clinically relevant effects on calcium homeostasis or the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam is a useful new option for patients with plaque psoriasis.