Foam spray drug offers hope for psoriasis treatment

Drug maker Leo Pharma has launched Enstilar, reportedly the first fixed-combination, cutaneous foam spray for the once-daily topical treatment of all extents of plaque psoriasis for patients who are 18 years or older in the UK

The group reports that data shows Enstilar to be “a more effective topical combination treatment than those currently available”, and “is generally well-tolerated, with more than half of patients in clinical trials experiencing significant visible signs of improvement within four weeks and with some patients seeing improvements at one week”.

According to the firm, 75% of patients feel that their quality of life is significantly impacted by psoriasis, both emotionally and physically.

81% of psoriasis patients using Enstilar foam spray in trials reported QoL improvements after four weeks, with more than 70% seeing a reduction in itch-related sleep loss, says the company.

The symptomatic relief experienced by the majority of patients may be attributed to the cooling effect of the new foam spray.

"Enstilar foam spray represents a welcome new choice of topical therapy for people with plaque psoriasis, particularly those who wish to explore new options with their GP and/or whose next step would be a referral to consider transitioning to systemic therapy", said Professor Chris Griffiths, foundation professor of dermatology, The University of Manchester,

"Clinical data point to the superior efficacy of  Enstilar  over other topical combination therapies and to a favourable safety profile." 

“We are delighted that there is a new, effective treatment choice now available to treat plaque psoriasis, an area of significant unmet need” said John Warne, founder, Psoriasis Help Organisation.

“Over 1.5 million people across the UK are living each day with the significant challenges of this chronic skin condition so we welcome new options to help them take back control.”

Adherence is a significant challenge for patients living with psoriasis (studies consistently suggest that up to 40% of people with psoriasis do not use their medication as directed).

The launch of Enstilar foam spray in the UK follows findings in the positive regulatory review of the results of the pivotal Phase 3a PSO-FAST study, which evaluated its efficacy and safety profile across a four week period, and the Phase 2 MUSE safety profile study. 

In the PSO-FAST clinical trial, over half of patients treated with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam spray were "Clear" or "Almost Clear" by week four, as measured by the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) improvement score. 

Additionally, more than half of patients treated with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam spray achieved a 75% improvement in modified (excluding head) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (mPASI) score from baseline after 4 weeks of treatment.

“The launch of Enstilar is an exciting landmark for LEO Pharma, which is committed to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with skin conditions such as psoriasis,” said Geraldine Murphy, managing director of Leo Pharma UK & Ireland.

“This is the first combination treatment of its kind and the foam spray delivery offers a convenient new treatment option. Insights from patients show that it will be easy and convenient to use, as well as being effective and generally well-tolerated. This could be a great advantage in improving treatment adherence, which can be such a challenge for people living with long-term skin conditions.”

The delivery system of calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate foam spray provides a convenient treatment option for psoriasis patients, ensuring the product is easy-to-apply, claims Leo Pharma.

It was developed to treat patients with plaque psoriasis - the most common clinical form of psoriasis, affecting approximately 80% of psoriasis patients.