LEO Pharma

Dovobet^® 50 microgram/g + 0.5 mg/g gel

One gram of gel contains 50 micrograms of calcipotriol (as monohydrate) and 0.5 mg of betamethasone (as dipropionate).

Excipient: 160 micrograms butylated hydroxytoluene/g gel

For a full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

Gel.

An almost clear, colourless to slightly off-white gel.

Topical treatment of scalp psoriasis in adults. Topical treatment of mild to moderate “non-scalp” plaque psoriasis vulgaris in adults.

Posology

Dovobet^® gel should be applied to affected areas once daily. The recommended treatment period is 4 weeks for scalp areas and 8 weeks for “non-scalp” areas. If it is necessary to continue or restart treatment after this period, treatment should be continued after medical review and under regular medical supervision.

When using calcipotriol containing medicinal products, the maximum daily dose should not exceed 15 g. The body surface area treated with calcipotriol containing medicinal products should not exceed 30% (see section 4.4).

If used on the scalp

All the affected scalp areas may be treated with Dovobet^® gel. Usually an amount between 1 g and 4 g per day is sufficient for treatment of the scalp (4 g corresponds to one teaspoon).

Special Populations

Renal and hepatic impairment

The safety and efficacy of Dovobet^® gel in patients with severe renal insufficiency or severe hepatic disorders have not been evaluated.

Paediatric population

The safety and efficacy of Dovobet^® gel in children below 18 years have not been established. No data are available.

Method of administration

The bottle should be shaken before use and Dovobet^® gel applied to the affected area. Dovobet^® gel should not be applied directly to the face or eyes. The hands should be washed after use. In order to achieve optimal effect, it is not recommended to take a shower or bath, or to wash the hair in case of scalp application, immediately after application of Dovobet^® gel. Dovobet^® gel should remain on the skin during the night or during the day.

Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients.

Dovobet^® gel is contraindicated in erythrodermic, exfoliative and pustular psoriasis.

Due to the content of calcipotriol, Dovobet^® gel is contraindicated in patients with known disorders of calcium metabolism.

Due to the content of corticosteroid, Dovobet^® gel is contraindicated in the following conditions: Viral (e.g. herpes or varicella) lesions of the skin, fungal or bacterial skin infections, parasitic infections, skin manifestations in relation to tuberculosis or syphilis, perioral dermatitis, atrophic skin, striae atrophicae, fragility of skin veins, ichthyosis, acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, rosacea, ulcers, wounds, perianal and genital pruritus.

Effects on endocrine system

Dovobet^® gel contains a potent group III steroid and concurrent treatment with other steroids must be avoided. Adverse reactions found in connection with systemic corticosteroid treatment, such as adrenocortical suppression or impact on the metabolic control of diabetes mellitus, may occur also during topical corticosteroid treatment due to systemic absorption. Application under occlusive dressings should be avoided since it increases the systemic absorption of corticosteroids. Application on large areas of damaged skin or on mucous membranes or in skin folds should be avoided since it increases the systemic absorption of corticosteroids (see Section 4.8).

In a study in patients with both extensive scalp and extensive body psoriasis using a combination of high doses of Dovobet^® gel (scalp application) and high doses of Dovobet^® ointment (body application), 5 of 32 patients showed a borderline decrease in cortisol response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge after 4 weeks of treatment (see section 5.1).

Effects on calcium metabolism

Due to the content of calcipotriol, hypercalcaemia may occur if the maximum daily dose (15 g) is exceeded. Serum calcium is, however, quickly normalised when treatment is discontinued. The risk of hypercalcaemia is minimal when the recommendations relevant to calcipotriol are followed.Treatment of more than 30% of the body surface should be avoided (see section 4.2).

Local adverse reactions

Skin of the face and genitals are very sensitive to corticosteroids. The medicinal product should not be used in these areas. Uncommon local adverse reactions (such as eye irritation or irritation of facial skin) were observed, when the medicinal product was accidentally administered in the area of face, or accidentally to the eyes or conjunctives (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). The patient must be instructed in the correct use of the medicinal product to avoid application and accidental transfer to the face, mouth or eyes. Hands must be washed after each application to avoid accidental transfer to these areas.

Concomitant skin infections

When lesions become secondarily infected, they should be treated with antimicrobiological therapy. However, if infection worsens, treatment with corticosteroids should be stopped.

Discontinuation of treatment

When treating psoriasis with topical corticosteroids, there may be a risk of generalised pustular psoriasis or of rebound effects when discontinuing treatment. Medical supervision should therefore continue in the post treatment period.

Long-term use

With long-term use there is an increased risk of local and systemic corticosteroid adverse reactions. The treatment should be discontinued in case of adverse reactions related to long-term use of corticosteroid (see section 4.8).

Unevaluated uses

There is no experience for the use of Dovobet^® gel in guttate psoriasis.

Concurrent treatment and UV exposure

Dovobet^® ointment for body psoriasis lesions has been used in combination with Dovobet^® gel for scalp psoriasis lesions, but there is no experience of combination of Dovobet^® with other topical anti-psoriatic products at the same treatment area, other anti-psoriatic medicinal products administered systemically or with phototherapy.

During Dovobet^® gel treatment, physicians are recommended to advise patients to limit or avoid excessive exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight. Topical calcipotriol should be used with UVR only if the physician and patient consider that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks (see section 5.3).

Adverse reactions to excipients

Dovobet^® gel contains butylated hydroxytoluene (E321), which may cause local skin reactions (e.g. contact dermatitis), or irritation to the eyes and mucous membranes.

No interaction studies have been performed.

Pregnancy

There are no adequate data from the use of Dovobet^® gel in pregnant women. Studies in animals with glucocorticoids have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3), but a number of epidemiological studies have not revealed congenital anomalies among infants born to women treated with corticosteroids during pregnancy. The potential risk for humans is uncertain. Therefore, during pregnancy, Dovobet^® gel should only be used when the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.

Breastfeeding

Betamethasone passes into breast milk, but risk of an adverse effect on the infant seems unlikely with therapeutic doses. There are no data on the excretion of calcipotriol in breast milk. Caution should be exercised when prescribing Dovobet^® gel to women who breast-feed. The patient should be instructed not to use Dovobet^® on the breast when breast-feeding.

Fertility

Studies in rats with oral doses of calcipotriol or betamethasone dipropionate demonstrated no impairment of male and female fertility.

Dovobet^® gel has no influence on the ability to drive and use machines.

The clinical trial programme for Dovobet^® gel has so far included more than 4,700 patients of whom more than 2,100 were treated with Dovobet^® gel. Approximately 8% of patients treated with Dovobet^® gel experienced a non-serious adverse drug reaction.

These reactions are usually mild and cover mainly various skin reactions with pruritus being the most common.

Based on data from clinical trials and post market use the following adverse reactions are listed for Dovobet^® gel.

The adverse reactions are listed by MedDRA System Organ Class, and the individual adverse reactions are listed starting with the most frequently reported. Within each frequency grouping, the adverse reactions are listed in order of decreasing seriousness.

The following terminologies have been used in order to classify the frequencies of adverse reactions:

The following adverse reactions are considered to be related to the pharmacological classes of calcipotriol and betamethasone, respectively:

Calcipotriol

Adverse reactions include application site reactions, pruritus, skin irritation, burning and stinging sensation, dry skin, erythema, rash, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis aggravated, photosensitivity and hypersensitivity reactions including very rare cases of angioedema and facial oedema.

Systemic effects after topical use may appear very rarely causing hypercalcaemia or hypercalciuria (see section 4.4).

Betamethasone (as dipropionate)

Local reactions can occur after topical use, especially during prolonged application, including skin atrophy, telangiectasia, striae, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, depigmentation and colloid milia. When treating psoriasis, there may be a risk of generalised pustular psoriasis.

Systemic reactions due to topical use of corticosteroids are rare in adults, however, they can be severe. Adrenocortical suppression, cataract, infections, impact on metabolic control of diabetes mellitus and increase of intra-ocular pressure can occur, especially after long-term treatment. Systemic reactions occur more frequently when applied under occlusion (plastic, skin folds), when applied on large areas and during long-term treatment (see section 4.4).

Use above the recommended dose may cause elevated serum calcium which should rapidly subside when treatment is discontinued.

Excessive prolonged use of topical corticosteroids may suppress the pituitary-adrenal functions, resulting in secondary adrenal insufficiency which is usually reversible. In such cases, symptomatic treatment is indicated.

In case of chronic toxicity, the corticosteroid treatment must be discontinued gradually.

It has been reported that due to misuse one patient with extensive erythrodermic psoriasis treated with 240 g of Dovobet^® ointment weekly (corresponding to a daily dose of 34 g) for 5 months (maximum recommended dose 15 g daily) developed Cushing's syndrome and pustular psoriasis after abruptly stopping treatment.

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antipsoriatics. Other antipsoriatics for topical use, Calcipotriol, combinations.

ATC Code: D05AX52

Calcipotriol is a vitamin D analogue. In vitro data suggest that calcipotriol induces differentiation and suppresses proliferation of keratinocytes. This is the proposed basis for its effect in psoriasis.

Like other topical corticosteroids, betamethasone dipropionate has anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, vasoconstrictive and immunosuppresive properties, however, without curing the underlying condition. Through occlusion the effect can be enhanced due to increased penetration of the stratum corneum. The incidence of adverse events will increase because of this. In general, the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of the topical steroids is unclear.

Adrenal response to ACTH was determined by measuring serum cortisol levels in patients with both extensive scalp and body psoriasis, using up to 106 g per week combined Dovobet^® gel and Dovobet^® ointment. A borderline decrease in cortisol response at 30 minutes post ACTH challenge was seen in 5 of 32 patients (15.6%) after 4 weeks of treatment and in 2 of 11 patients (18.2%) who continued treatment until 8 weeks. In all cases, the serum cortisol levels were normal at 60 minutes post ACTH challenge. There was no evidence of change of calcium metabolism observed in these patients. With regard to HPA suppression, therefore, this study shows some evidence that very high doses of Dovobet^® gel and ointment may have a weak effect on the HPA axis.

The efficacy of once daily use of Dovobet^® gel was investigated in two randomised, double-blind, 8-week clinical studies including a total of more than 2,900 patients with scalp psoriasis of at least mild severity according to the Investigator's Global Assessment of disease severity (IGA). Comparators were betamethasone dipropionate in the gel vehicle, calcipotriol in the gel vehicle and (in one of the studies) the gel vehicle alone, all used once daily. Results for the primary response criterion (absent or very mild disease according to the IGA at week 8) showed that Dovobet^® gel was statistically significantly more effective than the comparators. Results for speed of onset based on similar data at week 2 also showed Dovobet^® gel to be statistically significantly more effective than the comparators.

¹ Statistically significantly less effective than Dovobet^® gel (P<0.001)

The efficacy of once daily use of Dovobet^® gel on non-scalp regions of the body was investigated in a randomised, double-blind, 8-week clinical study including 296 patients with psoriasis vulgaris of mild or moderate severity according to the IGA. Comparators were betamethasone dipropionate in the gel vehicle, calcipotriol in the gel vehicle and the gel vehicle alone, all used once daily. Primary response criteria were controlled disease according to the IGA at week 4 and week 8. Controlled disease was defined as 'clear' or 'minimal disease' for patients with moderate disease at baseline or 'clear' for patients with mild disease at baseline. The percentage change in Psoriasis Severity and Area index (PASI) from baseline to week 4 and week 8 were secondary response criteria.

¹ Statistically significantly less effective than Dovobet^® gel (P<0.05)

¹ Statistically significantly less effective than Dovobet^® gel (P<0.05)

Another randomised, investigator-blinded clinical study including 312 patients with scalp psoriasis of at least moderate severity according to the IGA investigated use of Dovobet^® gel once daily compared with Dovonex^® scalp solution twice daily for up to 8 weeks. Results for the primary response criterion (absent or very mild disease according to the IGA at week 8) showed that Dovobet^® gel was statistically significantly more effective than Dovonex^® scalp solution.

¹ Statistically significantly less effective than Dovobet^® gel (P<0.001)

A randomised, double-blind long-term clinical study including 873 patients with scalp psoriasis of at least moderate severity (according to the IGA) investigated the use of Dovobet^® gel compared with calcipotriol in the gel vehicle. Both treatments were applied once daily, intermittently as required, for up to 52 weeks. Adverse events possibly related to long-term use of corticosteroids on the scalp, were identified by an independent, blinded panel of dermatologists. There was no difference in the percentages of patients experiencing such adverse events between the treatment groups (2.6% in the Dovobet^® gel group and 3.0% in the calcipotriol group; P=0.73). No cases of skin atrophy were reported.

The systemic exposure to calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate from topically applied Dovobet^® gel is comparable to Dovobet^® ointment in rats and minipigs. Clinical studies with radiolabelled ointment indicate that the systemic absorption of calcipotriol and betamethasone from Dovobet^®ointment formulation is less than 1% of the dose (2.5 g) when applied to normal skin (625 cm²) for 12 hours. Application to psoriasis plaques and under occlusive dressings may increase the absorption of topical corticosteroids. Absorption through damaged skin is approximately 24%.

Following systemic exposure, both active ingredients – calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate – are rapidly and extensively metabolised. Protein binding is approximately 64%. Plasma elimination half-life after intravenous application is 5-6 hours. Due to the formation of a depot in the skin elimination after dermal application is in order of days. Betamethasone is metabolised especially in the liver, but also in the kidneys to glucuronide and sulphate esters.The main route of excretion of calcipotriol is via faeces (rats and minipigs) and for betamethasone dipropionate it is via urine (rats and mice). In rats, tissue distribution studies with radiolabelled calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate, respectively, showed that the kidney and liver had the highest level of radioactivity.

Calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate were below the lower limit of quantification in all blood samples of 34 patients treated, for 4 or 8 weeks with both Dovobet^® gel and Dovobet^® ointment, for extensive psoriasis involving the body and scalp. One metabolite of calcipotriol and one metabolite of betamethasone dipropionate were quantifiable in some of the patients.

Studies of corticosteroids in animals have shown reproductive toxicity (cleft palate, skeletal malformations). In reproduction toxicity studies with long-term oral administration of corticosteroids to rats, prolonged gestation and prolonged and difficult labour were detected. Moreover, reduction in offspring survival, body weight and body weight gain was observed. There was no impairment of fertility. The relevance for humans is unknown.

A dermal carcinogenicity study with calcipotriol in mice revealed no special hazard to humans.

Photo(co)carcinogenicity studies in mice suggest that calcipotriol may enhance the effect of UVR to induce skin tumours.

No carcinogenicity or photocarcinogenicity studies have been performed with betamethasone dipropionate.

In local tolerability studies in rabbits, Dovobet^® gel caused mild to moderate skin irritation and a slight transient irritation of the eye.

Paraffin, liquid

Polyoxypropylene-15 stearyl ether

Castor oil, hydrogenated

Butylhydroxytoluene (E321)

All-rac-α-tocopherol

In the absence of compatibility studies, this medicinal product must not be mixed with other medicinal products.

2 years.

After first opening: 3 months.

Do not refrigerate. Keep the bottle in the outer carton in order to protect from light.

High-density polyethylene bottles with a low-density polyethylene nozzle and a high-density polyethylene screw cap. The bottles are placed in cartons.

Pack sizes: 15, 30, 60 and 2 x 60 g.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.

LEO Pharmaceutical Products Ltd. A/S (LEO Pharma A/S)

Industriparken 55

DK-2750 Ballerup

Denmark

PA 1025/1/2

Date of first authorisation: 12^th September 2008

Date of last renewal: 7^th January 2011

July 2011

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the Irish Medicines Board, www.imb.ie