Tretinoin 0.1% and Benzoyl Peroxide 3% Cream for the Treatment of Facial Acne Vulgaris

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and clinical application of tretinoin 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 3% cream for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris. Data Sources: A systematic review of the literature was performed using the terms Twyneo OR tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide OR S6G5T-3 in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to obtain completed clinical trial results not published elsewhere. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All human studies published in English prior to November 2022 related to pharmacology, clinical trials, safety, and efficacy were evaluated for inclusion. Data Synthesis: In two 12-week, phase 3, randomized, vehicle-controlled clinical trials, tretinoin 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 3% cream significantly reduced inflammatory and noninflammatory facial acne lesions and significantly improved Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) rating to clear or almost clear. The cream has a suitable safety profile, with application site pain and dryness as the most common adverse events. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice in Comparison to Existing Agents: Tretinoin-BPO had similar IGA success compared to other topical retinoid and retinoid-BPO treatments for acne vulgaris. Compared to individual tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide therapy, the combination product streamlines application, which will improve medication adherence; however, the cost of tretinoin-BPO cream may be prohibitive. Conclusions: Tretinoin 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 3% cream is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne. Long-term trial data on efficacy and tolerability are not yet available.