A topical triple-agent fixed-dose combination (FDC) was shown to be efficacious in comparison to other acne agents, according to results from a new systematic literature review and network meta-analysis looking at the comparative effectiveness of treatments for moderate-to-severe acne.

The authors included 85 randomized controlled trials in the analysis that evaluated various topical, oral, physical, or combination therapies over a minimum treatment period of ≥4 weeks. Key efficacy outcomes included the percentage of patients achieving a ≥2-grade reduction from baseline and reaching "clear" or "almost clear" status for global severity score (treatment success), absolute reduction in inflammatory (ILs reduction), and noninflammatory lesion counts (NILs reduction).

Of particular note was the performance of the topical triple-agent FDC gel comprised of clindamycin phosphate 1.2%, adapalene 0.15%, and benzoyl peroxide 3.1%, in comparison to combinations of double-agent fixed-dose topical treatments with oral antibiotics (TOA3). The topical triple-agent gel vas consistently ranking among the top three treatments. The topical triple-agent FDC gel demonstrated numerical superiority over TOA3 for treatment success. Conversely, TOA3 demonstrated superiority over the triple-agent FDC gel in reducing inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts.

Source: Harper J, et al. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):216-226.