A Phase II, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of a Topical Minocycline Foam, FMX103, for the Treatment of Facial Papulopustular Rosacea

The role of vitamins and nutrients in rosacea

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition displaying symptoms like flushing, erythema, papules, and pustules. Oral antibiotics, despite long-term adverse effects, are often used due to topical treatment limitations, underscoring the need for cost-effective choices like dietary modifications. Our review investigates the role of vitamins and minerals in rosacea, and provides evidence-based recommendations for supplementation and topical treatment of these nutrients for rosacea. An online search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov from 1998 to 2023. Included studies were summarized and assessed for quality and relevance in rosacea management. Varied outcomes emerged concerning the impact of essential vitamins and minerals on rosacea treatment. Vitamin A derivatives, specifically oral isotretinoin, demonstrated significant efficacy, with a 90% reduction in lesions, complete remission in 24% of patients, and marked improvement in 57% of patients. Vitamin B3 derivatives, such as topical 1-methylnicotinamide 0.25% and NADH 1%, improved symptoms in 76.4% (26/34) and 80% of patients, respectively. Outcomes for vitamin D, vitamin C, and zinc supplementation varied across studies. However, zinc sulfate solution 5% significantly reduced acne rosacea severity for patients with 40% and 60% exhibiting a moderate or good response, respectively. Omega-3 fatty acids showed significant improvement in alleviating xerophthalmia in 64% of patients with ocular rosacea. Vitamins and minerals hold potential in managing rosacea symptoms, offering a safe and cost-effective alternative or adjunctive treatment option. Currently, there are no established recommendations regarding their supplementation for rosacea. Studies assessing serum levels of vitamins and minerals in relation to rosacea are warranted, as this avenue holds potential for future advancements in the field.

Emerging Medical Therapies in Rosacea: A Narrative Review

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease with a multifactorial pathogenesis. The wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes, including erythema, telangiectasia, inflammatory papules and pustules, and phyma, demand an individualized approach to treatment. This narrative review offers an updated reference for rosacea management by covering the latest developments in both topical and systemic treatments, including data from newly approved therapies, updates to current treatment modalities and ongoing clinical trials. Although use of benzoyl peroxide as a treatment for rosacea has typically been limited due to irritation, the improved tolerability due to microencapsulation of benzoyl peroxide 5% cream provides a new therapeutic option for patients with rosacea. Minocycline foam and topical ivermectin cream add to our armamentarium of treatment options, particularly for inflammatory papules and pustules. Sarecycline has a narrower spectrum of antibacterial activity, which might reduce the development of antibiotic resistance and disruption of the microbiome compared to other oral antibiotics. Brimonidine gel and oxymetazoline cream provide topical options for redness and flushing. There is emerging evidence about the role of hydroxychloroquine and intradermal botulinum toxin A, which may improve rosacea through their effects on mast cells. The clinical trials pipeline includes agents with a variety of mechanisms, including mast cell stabilization, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and vasoconstrictive effects. However, the clinical pipeline for rosacea appears limited, and there remain important unmet needs for patients with more recalcitrant rosacea or phymatous disease. In addition, there is a need for comparative effectiveness studies to identify the highest value treatment approaches for patients with rosacea.

Topical foam as a promising carrier system for active pharmaceutical ingredients: review of clinical studies

Skin disorders are preferentially treated by topical administration of medicines or cosmetics because of the possibility of local action. However, a great concern is the delivery of topical actives with effective penetration through the stratum corneum to ensure the desired effect. Considering the search for a carrier system that allows the penetration/permeation of active pharmaceutical ingredients through this structure, searching for effective topical pharmaceutical forms is needed. Foams have been widely studied over the years due to their high capacity to favor the active to overcome the cutaneous barrier and because this form of presentation has ease of application and high acceptability by users. The objective of this review was to analyze the potential of foam as a topical pharmaceutical form for treating skin disorders, upon clinical cases reported in the literature. Foam presents technical advantages when compared to other conventional topical pharmaceutical forms due to its fast action, high tolerance, and safety, with reduction or total remission of adverse events. Regarding the patient, foam increased the rate of adherence to the treatment. Therefore, it is concluded that foam is an effective, secure, and stable topical presentation form for carrying active pharmaceutical ingredients and widely accepted by patients.

Rosacea Topical Treatment and Care: From Traditional to New Drug Delivery Systems

Rosacea is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by flushing, nontransient erythema, papules and pustules, telangiectasia, and phymatous alterations accompanied by itching, burning, or stinging, the pathophysiology of which is not yet fully understood. Conventional topical treatments usually show limited efficacy due to the physical barrier property of the skin that hinders skin penetration of the active ingredients, thereby hampering proper drug skin delivery and the respective therapeutic or cosmetic effects. New advances regarding the physiopathological understanding of the disease and the underlying mechanisms suggest the potential of new active ingredients as promising therapeutic and cosmetic approaches to this dermatosis. Additionally, the development of new drug delivery systems for skin delivery, particularly the potential of nanoparticles for the topical treatment and care of rosacea, has been described. Emphasis has been placed on their reduced nanometric size, which contributes to a significant improvement in the attainment of targeted skin drug delivery. In addition to the exposition of the known pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and preventive measures, this Review covers the topical approaches used in the control of rosacea, including skin care, cosmetics, and topical therapies, as well as the future perspectives on these strategies.

Efficacy and safety of antibiotic agents in the treatment of rosacea: a systemic network meta-analysis

Background: Antibiotics are considered the backbone of rosacea management, especially for controlling inflammatory papules and pustules. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of varied prescriptions and doses of antibiotics in treating rosacea by network meta-analysis. Methods: In this study, we compared all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have studied systemic and topical antibiotics and placebo in rosacea therapy. We searched databases such as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and LILACS for published and unpublished RCTs on ClinicalTrials.gov before April 2023. The primary outcome was the improvement of the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) scores, and the secondary outcomes consisted of the improvement of the Patient's Global Assessment (PaGA) scores, Clinician's Erythema Assessment (CEA) scores, and adverse events (AEs). We used Bayesian random effects models for multiple treatment comparisons. Results: We identified 1,703 results through these databases. Thirty-one randomized trials with 8,226 patients were included. The heterogeneity and inconsistency between the trials were low, with a low risk of bias of all trials. Oral doxycycline 40 mg, minocycline 100 mg, and minocycline 40 mg, as well as topical ivermectin and metronidazole 0.75%, were effective in treating papules and pustules, thereby decreasing IGA in rosacea. Among these, minocycline 100 mg ranked top in efficacy. As for improving the PaGA scores, topical ivermectin, metronidazole 1%, and systemic oxytetracycline were effective, of which oxytetracycline worked the best. Both doxycycline 40 mg and metronidazole 0.75% presented no therapeutic effect for erythema. Considering the safety of the agents, systemic application of azithromycin and doxycycline 100 mg significantly increase the risk of AEs. Conclusion: Our review suggests that a high dosage of systemic minocycline is the most effective in treating rosacea phenotypes with papules and pustules with a low risk of AEs. However, there were no sufficient evidence-based data in exploring the influence of antibiotics on erythema. The phenotype of rosacea should be taken into consideration along with benefit and safety when making prescriptions due to AEs. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT(2016): http://cochranelibrary-wiley.com/o/cochrane/clcentral/articles/962/CN-01506962/frame.html NCT(2017): http://cochranelibrary-wiley.com/o/cochrane/clcentral/articles/764/CN-01565764/frame.html.

Treatment strategies, including antibiotics, to target the immune component of rosacea

INTRODUCTION

Recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of rosacea have led to increased focus on the disease's immunologic etiology and to the development of immunologically based treatments. With many patients suffering from incomplete control, addressing the immune components of the disease process may provide a more effective treatment option for rosacea patients that may improve quality of life.

AREAS COVERED

This review will provide a brief overview of the pathophysiology of rosacea, as well as specific immunologic contributions to the disease state. Current standard-of-care treatments will be described, including anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics. Emphasis will be placed on treatments that target the immune components of the disease process.

EXPERT OPINION

Rosacea remains a difficult dermatologic disease to treat, partially due to an incomplete understanding of the disease pathophysiology. The immune pathophysiology of rosacea, particularly the key role of inflammation, has been clarified over the past decade. Identification of specific molecules, including cytokines and nuclear transcription factors, may allow for the development of targeted rosacea-specific biologic and topical treatments. However, medication nonadherence is a limiting factor to achieving symptomatic control among rosacea patients. Focusing on the development of oral or injectable forms of therapy may circumvent poor adherence.

Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Acne Vulgaris and Rosacea Clinical Trials From 2011 to 2021: A Systematic Review

Importance

Acne and rosacea have substantial implications for quality of life, and it is therefore important to ensure the patient's voice is being captured in pivotal randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Although patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a valuable tool to capture the patient perspective, little is known about use of PROMs in RCTs on acne and rosacea.

Objective

To characterize the use of PROMs in RCTs on acne and rosacea.

Evidence Review

A systematic literature search was conducted using the search terms acne vulgaris and rosacea in the following databases: MEDLINE through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. A modified search hedge for RCTs from the McGill Library was applied. All phase 2, 3, and 4 RCTs published between December 31, 2011, through December 31, 2021, that evaluated the efficacy and safety of therapies for acne and rosacea vs any comparator were eligible for inclusion.

Findings

A total of 2461 publications describing RCTs were identified, of which 206 RCTs met the inclusion criteria (163 trials [79%] on acne and 43 [21%] on rosacea). At least 1 PROM was used in 53% of trials (110) included; PROM use was more common in rosacea RCTs (67% [n = 29]) compared with acne RCTs (50% [n = 81]). At least 1 dermatology-specific (13% [n = 27]) or disease-specific (14% [n = 28]) PROM was included in the RCTs analyzed. Only 7% of trials (14) included a PROM as a primary outcome measure. There was no statistically significant increase in PROM inclusion over the study period (11 of 21 trials in 2011 vs 5 of 12 trials in 2021).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review, PROMs were included in approximately one-half of acne and rosacea RCTs performed over the study period. In addition, PROMs were rarely used as a primary outcome measure, and inclusion of PROMs has not increased substantially over the past 10 years. Increasing use of PROMs in RCTs can ensure that the patient's perspective is captured during the development of new treatments for acne and rosacea.

Investigation of a Minocycline-Loaded Nanoemulgel for the Treatment of Acne Rosacea

In the present investigation, a nanoemulgel of minocycline was formulated and optimized for an improved drug delivery and longer retention time in the targeted area. Combining eucalyptus oil, Tween 20, and Transcutol HP, different o/w nanoemulsions were formulated by the oil phase titration method and optimized by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. The morphology, droplet size, viscosity, and refractive index of the thermodynamically stable nanoemulsion were determined. Furthermore, optimized nanoemulsion was suspended in 1.0% w/v of Carbopol 940 gel to formulate the nanoemulgel, and for this, pH, viscosity, and spreadability were determined and texture analysis was performed. To compare the extent of drug penetration between nanoemulsion and nanoemulgel, ex vivo skin permeation studies were conducted with Franz diffusion cell using rat skin as the permeation membrane, and the nanoemulgel exhibited sustained-release behavior. It can be concluded that the suggested minocycline-containing naoemulgel is expected to treat acne rosacea more effectively.

Increased serum levels of CCL3, CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 in rosacea patients and their correlation with disease severity

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease involving millions of patients worldwide. Previous studies have highlighted the upregulation of a variety of chemokines in the skin lesions of both rosacea patient and rosacea-like mouse model. However, the serum levels of these chemokines and their clinical significance have not been explored before. In this study, we aimed at examining the serum levels of a series of chemokines (including CCL2, CCL3, CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL12) implicated in rosacea and their correlation with disease severity. Bio-Plex Pro Human Chemokine Assays were used to measure the serum levels of these chemokines. Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) was applied for assessing the papules/pustules of rosacea patients, while persistent erythema was evaluated by the Clinician's Erythema Assessment (CEA). Our results revealed that the serum concentration of CCL3, CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 were markedly elevated in rosacea patients compared to healthy controls. Among them, the levels of CCL3, CXCL8, and CXCL9 were positively correlated with the IGA score, while serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 were positively related with the CEA score of rosacea patients. What's more, the expression of the corresponding receptors of CCL3 (Ccr1), CXCL8 (Cxcr1 and Cxcr2), CXCL9, and CXCL10 (Cxcr3) were all significantly increased in the skin lesions of rosacea-like mouse model with CXCR2 and CXCR3 highly expressed in rosacea patient skins. Our results indicated that CCL3, CXCL8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 might potentially serve as serum indicators for rosacea and could assist the severity evaluation of disease. Findings in this study would also potentially help to develop new targeted therapies for rosacea in future. © 2022 Japanese Dermatological Association.

The therapeutic effects in patients with rosacea: how do we evaluate them?

BACKGROUND

Rosacea is a common, chronic skin disorder with negative impacts on physical health and social function. The response to therapy plays a critical factor in determining the duration of treatment and developing new medicines. However, it is challenging to assess the efficacy due to its complicated clinical characteristics and nonspecific histopathological findings.

AIMS

This study aims to review the efficacy evaluation tools for rosacea.

METHODS

An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and other databases for articles on efficacy evaluation methods for rosacea from 1995 to 2021.

RESULTS

In clinical practice and scientific research, various methods are available for assessing the curative effect. Evaluation tools based on phenotypes are the most commonly used because they are cheap and straightforward. Various questionnaires also exist to evaluate health-related quality of life. However, the inevitable subjectivity makes it challenging to compare the curative effect among different studies. By contrast, objective assessment tools are more precise and repeatable, such as consecutive standardized skin surface biopsies, computer-aided image analysis, and biophysical parameter assessments.

CONCLUSION

No single assessment method could balance convenience and accuracy. For improving outcomes and facilitating academic exchanges, a well-validated gold standard evaluation tool is still needed. This review provides an overview of the existing efficacy evaluation methods for rosacea and discusses the relevant details.

Rosacea: New Concepts in Classification and Treatment

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis mainly affecting the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Rosacea is characterized by recurrent episodes of flushing or transient erythema, persistent erythema, phymatous changes, papules, pustules, and telangiectasia. The eyes may also be involved. Due to rosacea affecting the face, it has a profound negative impact on quality of life, self-esteem, and well-being. In addition to general skin care, there are several approved treatment options available for addressing these features, both topical and systemic. For some features, intense pulse light, laser, and surgery are of value. Recent advances in fundamental scientific research have underscored the roles of the innate and adaptive immune systems as well as neurovascular dysregulation underlying the spectrum of clinical features of rosacea. Endogenous and exogenous stimuli may initiate and aggravate several pathways in patients with rosacea. This review covers the new phenotype-based diagnosis and classification system reflecting pathophysiology, and new and emerging treatment options and approaches. We address new topical and systemic formulations, as well as recent evidence on treatment combinations. In addition, ongoing studies investigating novel therapeutic interventions will be summarized.

Emerging topical drugs for the treatment of rosacea

Introduction: Rosacea is a common, chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease of the centrofacial area. Despite advancing knowledge on its pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment, some major unknowns still remain, including systematic evidence-based guidelines useful both for clinical assessment and therapeutic management. Topical treatment is regarded as a first-line option for mild to moderate rosacea and includes traditional and new FDA-approved prescription drugs, as well as off-label alternative topical agents.Areas covered: Since improved awareness of rosacea pathogenetic mechanisms has led to the development of new potential therapeutic agents, a search was performed on the ClinicalTrial.gov registry. The results identified several investigational topical drugs able to target one or more of the pathogenetic factors of rosacea.Expert opinion: The main unmet needs in the topical treatment of rosacea remain the management of vasomotor flushes and telangiectasias, as well as of troublesome symptoms such as burning and/or stinging. No single agent effective on all rosacea phenotypes is available so far, and preventive treatments capable of halting disease progression have not been identified yet. Finally, data on long-term efficacy and tolerability are still incomplete, especially for drugs more recently introduced in the market.

Minocycline Topical Foam: A New Drug for the Treatment of Acne

OBJECTIVE

To review the safety and efficacy of minocycline 4% topical foam for the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients aged 9 years and older.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search through PubMed and EMBASE was conducted using the following keywords: FMX101, minocycline, foam, and acne.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Articles selected included those describing preclinical and clinical studies of pharmacokinetics, efficacy, or safety of topical minocycline foam.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Minocycline 4% topical foam was shown in a preclinical study to effectively deliver minocycline to the pilosebaceous unit, with little penetration beyond the stratum corneum. This was consistent with a phase 1 pharmacokinetic study of the foam, which yielded a significantly reduced systemic exposure of minocycline compared with oral minocycline. In phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials, the foam significantly reduced acne lesion counts and Investigator's Global Assessment scores of acne severity compared with placebo. The foam has a good safety profile, with headache, mild erythema, hyperpigmentation, and mild dryness among the most common adverse effects.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Topical antibiotics have been a mainstay of acne therapy with the benefit of less systemic exposure compared with oral antibiotics. However, the development of bacterial resistance has reduced their use, thereby reducing options for many patients with acne. Minocycline 4% topical foam is a safe and effective alternative, which may help restore this important therapeutic approach for treating acne vulgaris.

Minocycline 1.5% foam for the topical treatment of moderate to severe papulopustular rosacea: Results of 2 phase 3, randomized, clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Efficacious topical medications for rosacea are needed. FMX103 1.5% is a novel topical minocycline foam that may have therapeutic benefits in treating rosacea while minimizing systemic adverse effects due to its topical route of delivery.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of 12 weeks of treatment with FMX103 1.5% topical minocycline foam for papulopustular rosacea.

METHODS

Two 12-week, phase 3, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, 2-arm studies were performed in patients with moderate to severe papulopustular rosacea.

RESULTS

Participants who received FMX103 1.5%, versus control individuals treated with vehicle, exhibited a significantly greater reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions (FX2016-11: -17.57 vs -15.65; P = .0031; FX2016-12: -18.54 vs -14.88; P < .0001) and higher rates of Investigator Global Assessment treatment success (FX2016-11: 52.1% vs 43.0%; P = .0273; FX2016-12: 49.1% vs 39.0%; P = .0077). No serious treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events occurred.

LIMITATIONS

The generalizability of these data from a controlled clinical trial should be examined in a real-world setting.

CONCLUSIONS

FMX103 1.5% was efficacious for moderate to severe papulopustular rosacea and maintained a favorable safety profile.

Interventions for rosacea based on the phenotype approach: an updated systematic review including GRADE assessments

BACKGROUND

Rosacea is a common chronic facial dermatosis. Classification of rosacea has evolved from subtyping to phenotyping.

OBJECTIVES

To update our systematic review on interventions for rosacea.

METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, Science Citation Index and ongoing trials registers (March 2018) for randomized controlled trials. Study selection, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment and analyses were carried out independently by two authors. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) was used to assess certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

We included 152 studies (46 were new), comprising 20 944 participants. Topical interventions included brimonidine, oxymetazoline, metronidazole, azelaic acid, ivermectin and other topical treatments. Systemic interventions included oral antibiotics, combinations with topical treatments or other systemic treatments. Several studies evaluated laser or light-based treatment. We present the most current evidence for rosacea management based on a phenotype-led approach.

CONCLUSIONS

For reducing temporarily persistent erythema there was high-certainty evidence for topical brimonidine and moderate certainty for topical oxymetazoline; for erythema and mainly telangiectasia there was low-to-moderate-certainty evidence for laser and intense pulsed light therapy. For reducing papules/pustules there was high-certainty evidence for topical azelaic acid and topical ivermectin; moderate-to-high-certainty evidence for doxycycline 40 mg modified release (MR) and isotretinoin; and moderate-certainty evidence for topical metronidazole, and topical minocycline and oral minocycline being equally effective as doxycycline 40 mg MR. There was low-certainty evidence for tetracycline and low-dose minocycline. For ocular rosacea, there was moderate-certainty evidence that oral omega-3 fatty acids were effective and low-certainty evidence for ciclosporin ophthalmic emulsion and doxycycline.