The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of drospirenone 3 mg/ethinyl estradiol 0.02 mg (DRSP/EE) in comparison with placebo in female subjects with moderate acne vulgaris during 6 treatment cycles.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female age 14-45, with 10 to 100 comedones (noninflammatory lesions), 10 to 50 inflammatory lesions (papules or pustules), and not more than 35 nodules (<5mm) on the face).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Standard contraindications for use of combined oral contraceptives (class label) plus
• Subjects with acne and atopia, comedonal acne or acne conglobate, sandpaper acne or acne with multiple large nodes, cysts, fistular comedones, or abscessing fistular ducts
• Use of comedogenic covering cream, comedogenic sunscreens, other sex hormone preparations or any other anti-acne therapy (eg, light therapy, oleic acids, chemical pellings, mechanical extraction of comedones)
• Acne therapy with sex hormone preparations given over 3 months or longer and proved to be unsuccessful
• Preparations that have had an acne-inducing effect, eg, iodinated or bromated drugs, tuberculostatics, lithium, Vitamin B1, B6, B12, D3, corticoids, ACTH, anabolics, quinine, disulfiram, methoxypsoralen, phenobarbital, phenytoin, trimethadione, thyroid depressants, and certain oily cosmetics