Differin Gel .3% (Adapalene) Drug Information: Side Effects and Drug Interactions

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May 27, 2012

Differin Gel .3

Acne (Pimples) »

What is acne?

Acne (acne vulgaris, common acne) is a disease of the hair follicles of the face, chest, and back that affects almost all males and females during puberty; the only exception being teenage members of a few primitive isolated tribes living in Neolithic societies. It is not caused by bacteria, although bacteria play a role in its development. It is not unusual for some women to develop acne in their mid- to late-20s.

Acne appears on the skin as...

congested pores ("comedones"), also known as blackheads or whiteheads,
tender red bumps also known as pimples or zits,
pustules, and occasionally as
cysts (deep pimples, boils).

You can do a lot to treat your acne using products available at a drugstore or cosmetic counter that do not require a prescription. However, for tougher cases of acne, you should consult a physician for treatment options.

What...

Read the Acne (Pimples) article »

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Differin Gel .3%

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SIDE EFFECTS

Clinical Studies Experience

Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reactions rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

In the multi-center, controlled clinical trial, signs and symptoms of local cutaneous irritation were monitored in 258 acne patients who used DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3% once daily for 12 weeks. Of the patients who experienced cutaneous irritation (erythema, scaling, dryness, and/or burning/stinging), the majority of cases were mild to moderate in severity, occurred early in treatment and decreased thereafter. The incidence of local cutaneous irritation with DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3% from the controlled clinical study is provided in the following table:

Table 1: Physician assessed local cutaneous irritation with DIPPERIN Gel

Incidence of Local Cutaneous Irritation with DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3% from Controlled Clinical Study (N = 253*) Maximum Severity Scores Higher Than Baseline
	Mild	Moderate	Severe
Erythema	66 (26.1%)	33 (13.0%)	1 (0.4%)
Scaling	110 (43.5%)	47 (18.6%)	3 (1.2%)
Dryness	113 (44.7%)	43 (17.0%)	2 (0.8%)
Burning/Stinging	72 (28.5%)	36 (142%)	9 (3.6%)
* Total number of subjects with local cutaneous data for at least one post-Baseline evaluation.

Table 2: Patient reported local cutaneous adverse reactions with DIFFERIN Gel

	DIFFERIN (adapalene) Gel, 0.3%	Vehicle Gel
	N=258	N=134
Related* Adverse Reactions	57(22.1%)	6 (4.5%)
Dry Skin	36(14%)	2(1.5%)
Skin Discomfort	15(5.8%)	0 (0.0%)
Desquamation	4(1.6%)	0 (0.0%)
* Selected adverse reactions defined by investigator as Possibly, Probably or Definitely Related

Related adverse reactions from the controlled clinical trial that occurred in greater than 1% of patients who used DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3% once daily included: dry skin (14.0%), skin discomfort (5.8%), pruritus (1.9%), desquamation (1.6%), and sunburn (1.2%). The following selected adverse reactions occurred in less than 1% of patients: acne flare, contact dermatitis, eyelid edema, conjunctivitis, erythema, pruritus, skin discoloration, rash, and eczema.

In a one-year, open-label safety study of 551 patients with acne who received DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3%, the pattern of adverse reactions was similar to the 12-week controlled study.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of adapalene: skin irritation, application site pain, face edema, eyelid edema, lip swelling, and angioedema. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate the frequency or establish a causal relationship to drag exposure.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Concomitant Topical Medications

As DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3% has the potential to induce local irritation in some patients, concomitant use of other potentially irritating topical products (medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, soaps and cosmetics that have a strong drying effect, and products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices, or lime) should be approached with caution. Particular caution should be exercised in using preparations containing sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid in combination with DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3%. If these preparations have been used, it is advisable not to start therapy with DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3%, until the effects of such preparations have subsided.

No formal drug-drug interaction studies were conducted with DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3%.

Last reviewed on RxList: 9/24/2010
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.