Enstilum Foam (betamethasone dipropionate/calcipotriol), a foam-type treatment for psoriasis with better drug adherence, is a useful option for patients with all types of psoriasis from mild to severe ones, a dermatologist said.

Professor Kim Dong-hyun at the Dermatology Department of CHA Bundang Medical Center speaks during a media session hosted by Leo Pharma Korea on Monday.

Kim Dong-hyun, a professor at the Dermatology Department of CHA Bundang Medical Center, explained about the role of topical psoriasis treatments and the usefulness of Enstilum under a changed psoriasis therapy paradigm, during a media session hosted by Leo Pharma Korea on Monday.

“Enstilum is a major treatment option in patients with mild to moderate psoriasis. In severe patients, it is a useful treatment option for patients who do not reach PASI 100 even after the use of biological agents and need additional topical treatment,” Kim said. “Compared to conventional gel-type combo drug, Enstilum Foam raised patients’ drug compliance. By mixing a steroid and vitamin D, it reduced side effects so that patients with psoriasis, a chronic disease, can receive effective, long-term treatment.”

Enstilum Foam is a combo drug, using betamethasone dipropionate with calcipotriol. The steroid cures inflammation inside the skin, and vitamin D suppresses abnormal hyperplasia of keratin.

In general, a high dose of steroid alone causes side effects such as skin atrophy, capillary enlargement, and endocrine system disturbance. However, the combination of the two agents creates synergy and offsets side effects, the company said.

In phase-3 trials, PSO-FAST and PSO-ABLE, on mild to severe psoriasis patients, more than half of those treated with Enstilum Foam reached PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) 75 in the fourth week of the treatment. The outcome proved that the treatment was safe and effective for all degrees of psoriasis.

The results of PSO-FAST study showed that patients treated with Enstilum Form showed a reduction in modified PASI (mPASI) by about 38 percent compared with baseline at week one of the treatment, and mPASI decreased by about 72 percent at the fourth week.

In the phase-3 PSO-ABLE trial, Enstilum showed high treatment usefulness compared to conventional get-type therapies. Fifty-two percent of patients who used Enstilum reached mPASI in the fourth week, versus 34.6 percent of the control group with traditional gel treatment at the eighth week.

Only 2.7 percent of more than 1,000 patients treated with Enstilum showed drug-adverse reactions, which proved that the drug was similar to existing topical treatments in safety.

Drug adherence is a significant factor for a psoriasis drug because the disease is chronic, Kim noted. “In patients with severe psoriasis, only half of them reach PASI 100 despite the use of biological agents. It is difficult to treat psoriasis on nails, toenails, scalp, genital area, palms, and soles. These patients need additional treatment option,” he said.

In such a case, Enstilum Foam is useful because it treats better than steroid alone as a topical treatment and offers better drug compliance, Kim added.

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