Newer Topical Therapies for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

Newer topical therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of acne vulgaris are dapsone gel 5% and clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and tretinoin 0.025% combination gel. Both are formulated in aqueous-based gel vehicles. These newer topical acne products have been shown to be effective and safe in pivotal 12-week phase 3 trials and long-term studies completed over 12 months. This article reviews applicable pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and safety data reported with both products.