This was a Phase I, single-center, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the antipsoriatic efficacy of calcipotriol in novel formulations based on AKVANO technology as compared to marketed calcipotriol products (Daivonex® solution and cream) and to evaluate their cutaneous safety in a psoriasis plaque test

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and cutaneous safety of calcipotriol (50 μg/g) in novel formulations (AKVANO®) as compared to their corresponding vehicle formulations and marketed calcipotriol formulations (Daivonex®) in a psoriasis plaque test. In total, 24 subjects with chronic psoriasis vulgaris were enrolled in this single-centre, randomized, vehicle and comparator-controlled clinical trial and were treated under occlusion over a 12-day treatment period (10 applications). The anti-psoriatic effect was evaluated by sonographic measurement of the psoriatic infiltrate and investigators' clinical efficacy assessments.

Inclusion Criteria:

All of the following criteria had to be met for inclusion of a subject in the clinical trial:

• Subjects with psoriasis vulgaris in a chronic stable phase and mild or moderate plaque(s) with up to three plaque areas sufficient for six treatment fields
• The target lesion(s) should have been on the trunk or extremities (excluding palms/soles); psoriatic lesion on the knees were not used as a target lesion
• Plaques to be treated should have had a comparable psoriatic infiltrate thickness of at least 200 μm
• The physical examination of the skin had to be without disease findings unless the investigator considered an abnormality to be irrelevant to the outcome of the clinical trial
• Female volunteers of childbearing potential had to be either surgically sterile (hysterectomy or tubal ligation) or agree to use a reliable method of contraception with a failure rate of less than 1 % per year when used consistently and correctly such as implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some intra-uterine devices [IUDs], sexual abstinence or had a vasectomized partner
• Written informed consent obtained

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects were excluded from the clinical trial when one or more of the following conditions were met:

• Other skin disease noted on physical examination that was considered by the investigator to be relevant to the outcome of the trial;
• Subjects with psoriasis guttata, psoriasis punctata, psoriasis erythrodermatica, psoriasis arthropathica and pustular psoriasis
• Any topical antipsoriatic treatment on the plaques to be treated in this trial (including corticosteroids, except for salicylic acid) in the three months before first treatment and/or during the trial
• Systemic treatment with antipsoriatics e.g. corticosteroids, cytostatics, retinoids in the three months before first treatment and during the trial
• Treatment with systemic or locally acting medications which might have countered or influenced the trial aim (medications which were known to provoke or aggravate psoriasis, e.g. ß-blocker, antimalarial drugs, lithium) within three months before first treatment and/or during the trial
• Known allergic reactions irritations or sensitivity to the active ingredients or other components of the investigational products;
• Contraindications according to summary of product characteristics of Daivonex®
• Evidence of drug or alcohol abuse
• Pregnancy or nursing
• UV-therapy within four weeks before first treatment and during the trial
• Symptoms of a clinically significant illness that might have influenced the outcome of the trial in the four weeks before first treatment and during the trial
• Participation in the treatment phase of another clinical trial within the last four weeks prior to the first treatment in this clinical trial
• In the opinion of the investigator or physician performing the initial examination the subject should not have participated in the clinical trial, e.g. due to probable non-compliance or inability to understand the trial and give adequately informed consent
• Close affiliation with the investigator (e.g. a close relative) or persons working at bioskin GmbH or subject was an employee of sponsor
• Subject was institutionalized because of legal or regulatory order