practicaldermatology.com
Results from a recent pilot study suggested that a combination therapy of clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% gel with clascoterone 1% cream was effective in reducing lesions in adult acne patients.
Researchers for the study enrolled 20 adult participants with moderate facial acne and applied the combination gel in the morning and clascoterone cream in the evening over 12 weeks. Primary efficacy assessments included lesion counts and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) scores at baseline, week 6, and week 12.
According to the results, there was a significant reduction in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts by week 12. Mean inflammatory lesions decreased from 20.1 at baseline to 7.3, and non-inflammatory lesions declined from 24.6 to 12.1. Additionally, 60% of participants achieved at least a two-grade improvement in IGA scores, indicating substantial clinical improvement.
The treatment regimen was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. Mild to moderate application site reactions, such as erythema and dryness, were observed but diminished over time.
"This pilot evaluation demonstrates promising results with respect to safety, tolerability, and efficacy of topical clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide (BPO) 3.1% gel and clascoterone 1% cream," the authors concluded. "The efficacy of these two study drugs in combination may be due to the ability to affect all four major components in acne pathogenesis, and this is the first pilot evaluation to use topical acne medications in combination to target all of these pathogenic factors. The results of this pilot evaluation are encouraging and further large-scale studies inclusive of a broad range of baseline acne severity and with longer follow-up periods are needed to elucidate the additive efficacy as well as the side effect profile of these two topical medications used in combination."
Source: Yu Z, et al. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2025. . 2025;18(1):20–23.