Efficacy and safety of calcipotriol (MC 903) ointment in psoriasis vulgaris : a randomized, double-blind, right/left comparative, vehicle-controlled study

The biologically active form of vitamin D3, calcitriol, may offer a new therapeutic approach to psoriasis. Calcipotriol, a new vitamin D3 analogue, is at least 100 times less calcemic than calcitriol. Our purpose was to study the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. In a right/left comparative, double-blind study, treatment with calcipotriol ointment (50 micrograms/gm) twice daily and placebo was given for 4 weeks. The preferred treatment was continued, without opening the code, for another 4 weeks. Efficacy, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and by the investigator's and patient's global assessment, and safety were assessed every 2 weeks. The mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index fell in 4 weeks from 14.2 to 6.3 with calcipotriol and from 14.1 to 9.2 with placebo (p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval for difference: 1.78-->3.94). Local side effects were equally common with calcipotriol and placebo. The mean serum calcium remained unchanged. Topical application of up to 50 gm of calcipotriol ointment per week was found to be an effective and safe treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.