Vaccines for Children: List By Age, Benefits, Safety

Benzoyl Peroxide Formulation Characteristics Explain Variation In Benzene Levels

HealthDay News — Formulation characteristics can explain much of the observed variation in benzene levels of over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide-containing products, according to a research letter published online Feb. 12 in JAMA Dermatology.

John S. Barbieri, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues examined the association of formulation with benzene levels of over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide-containing products. The vehicles for 111 products that had their benzene levels examined were evaluated.

The researchers found that leave-on products were associated with significantly lower concentrations of benzene (coefficient, −5.83). No significant association was seen between benzoyl peroxide concentration and benzene concentrations. A weak, but statistically significant, association was seen between days to expiration date and benzene concentration (coefficient, −0.010). Conditions consistent with hot processing were associated with increased benzene concentrations (coefficient, 7.34) in multivariable regression models adjusted for benzoyl peroxide concentration, product type, and days until expiration date. Butylated hydroxytoluene was associated with reduced benzene concentrations (coefficient, −8.15). Benzoic acid was associated with numerically, but not significantly, lower benzene concentrations.

"These results raise important hypotheses for potential strategies to reduce benzene in benzoyl peroxide-containing products, including excipient selection and stricter temperature controls during formulation and distribution," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and skin care industries.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Triple-combination Topical Outperforms Dyad Formulations, Improving Acne Within 4 Weeks

January 24, 2025

1 min read

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.Com.

Back to Healio

Key takeaways:

The triple-combination gel yielded a higher inflammatory lesion reduction (54%-55%) vs. Dyad formulations (32%-48%).

The triple combination also saw higher treatment success rates (8%-12% vs. 3%-8%).

Clindamycin phosphate 1.2%, adapalene 0.15% and benzoyl peroxide 3.1% triple-combination topical surpassed dyad formulations in speed of efficacy for acne, according to a study.

"Patients with acne may not be fully adherent to a treatment regimen and increasing treatment complexity can also impair adherence and clinical outcomes," Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD, professor of dermatology, pathology and social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, told Healio.

Feldman suggested topicals that offer rapid efficacy may present a solution to this problem with combination therapies coming out on top as a "rational approach for managing acne."

In this review, Feldman and colleagues evaluated data from 10 phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials on seven different topical acne combination treatments to see which delivered the earliest improvements, defined as 4 weeks after treatment initiation.

Included in the review were six dyad topicals and one triple-combination topical — clindamycin phosphate 1.2%, adapalene 0.15% and benzoyl peroxide 3.1% (CAB; Cabtreo, Ortho Dermatologics).

Results showed the triple-combination CAB gel yielded the greatest reduction in inflammatory lesions (54%-55%) compared with all dyad-combination topicals, which offered lesion reductions rates that ranged from a low of approximately 32% to a high of 48%.

Similar rates were seen among noninflammatory lesions with CAB gel delivering a 43% to 45% reduction within 4 weeks vs. The approximately 25% to 38% reduction offered by the other topicals.

Across all topicals, treatment success ranged from 4% to 12%; however, they were significantly greater among patients treated with CAB (8%-12%) compared with those treated with dyad formulations (3% to ~8%).

According to Feldman, the triple-combination's fast-acting abilities surpassing that of all the dyads was surprising, especially when accounting for the adapalene and benzoyl peroxide combination.

"One might have thought that the clindamycin wouldn't add anything to the dyad of adapalene and benzoyl peroxide given benzyl peroxide's ability to kill bacteria," he said. "However, the clinical trials indicate that the triple combination is more effective."

For more information:

Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD, can be reached at sfeldman@wakehealth.Edu.

Sources/DisclosuresCollapse Disclosures: Feldman reports having financial relationships with AbbVie, Accordant, Alvotech, Almirall, Arcutis, Arena, Argenx, Biocon, BMS, Caremark, Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Eurofins, Galderma, GlaxoSmithKline/Stiefel, Helsinn, Forte, Informa, Janssen, Leo Pharma, Menlo, Merck & Co, Mylan, the National Biological Corporation, the National Psoriasis Foundation, Novartis, Novan, Ortho Dermatologics, Qurient, Samsung, Sanofi, Sun Pharma, Regeneron, Teladoc, vTv, UCB and UpToDate. He is also the founder and part owner of Causa Research and holds stock in Sensal Health. Please see the study for all other authors' relevant financial disclosures.

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.Com.

Back to Healio

---