Calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate: a new topical ointment for psoriasis

Topical steroids and calcipotriene are the mainstay of treatment for mild-to-moderate psoriasis. They are used as monotherapy or in combination in an a.m./p.m. regimen owing to drug incompatibility. Recently, the US FDA approved a once-daily stable two-compound ointment containing calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate (Taclonex®). This product has been marketed in other countries under the names Dovobet® and Daivobet®. It is convenient with a faster speed of onset and greater efficacy than its individual ingredients or tacalcitol. After 4 weeks of therapy, the psoriasis area and severity index is reduced by approximately 70% and half of the patients have absent or very mild disease. Furthermore, more than half of the patients reach PASI-75 after 4 weeks of treatment. The calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate ointment is well tolerated with a safety profile similar to betamethasone dipropionate. It is associated with 50 and 75% fewer cutaneous adverse events than calcipotriene and tacalcitol, respectively.