Calcipotriene Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate Gel: A New Combination Therapy for Scalp Psoriasis

The document summarizes research on the effectiveness and safety of a combination therapy for scalp psoriasis using calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate gel. The therapy was shown to be more effective and faster-acting than either component alone or a twice-daily calcipotriene solution. Results from various studies, including a Phase III trial with 1,415 participants, demonstrated significant disease control after 8 weeks, with 60-70% of patients experiencing absent or very mild disease. Long-term studies, including one with 869 participants over 52 weeks, confirmed the safety of the drug, with infrequent steroid-related adverse effects and no cases of atrophy or striae. The combination therapy was also well-tolerated in diverse ethnic groups, including Hispanic/Latino and African-American patients. The gel is recommended for initial therapy for all severities of scalp psoriasis, to be used once daily until control is achieved, and then as needed or in a maintenance regimen. The safety profile was similar to betamethasone dipropionate alone, with fewer adverse events compared to calcipotriene, and no new safety concerns in long-term studies.