Evaluation of Topical Dutasteride as a Potential New Therapy for Facial Acne Vulgaris Versus the Triple Combination Therapy (Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% Gel)
Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation of Topical Dutasteride as a Potential New Therapy of Facial Acne Vulgaris Versus the Triple Combination Therapy (Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% Gel)
1 other identifier
interventional
50
0 countries
N/A
Brief Summary
Acne vulgaris (AV) is one of the most prevalent dermatological conditions worldwide, affecting approximately 85% of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24 years .While acne is often self-limiting, it can have profound psychosocial implications as individuals with acne are more likely to experience emotional distress, lower self-esteem and anxiety disorders . Acne Vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting the pilosebaceous units that leads to the development of different skin lesions such as comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and cystic lesions .
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable
Started Apr 2026
Typical duration for not_applicable
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
February 8, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
February 19, 2026
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
April 1, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
April 1, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
April 1, 2028
February 19, 2026
February 1, 2026
1 year
February 8, 2026
February 12, 2026
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy (clinical, microbiological & psychological) of topical Dutasteride 0.05% versus topical fixed-dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% gel in patients with facial AV
o Total lesions count (TLC) (inflammatory lesions and noninflammatory lesions)
16 weeks
Evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy (clinical, microbiological & psychological) of topical Dutasteride 0.05% versus topical fixed-dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% gel in patients with facial AV
o The investigator's global assessment (IGA) of acne severity grade modified to assess the half-face acne severity ; Treatment success will be defined as an Investigator's Global Assessment score of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear), and a 2-grade or greater improvement from baseline at week 12.
12 weeks
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Addressing the safety profile of the two topical therapeutics
12 weeks
Psychological effect of AV and its relation to therapeutic outcomes
12 weeks
Study Arms (2)
Topical Dutasteride 0.05% gel versus placebo (Petrolatum) (split face).
EXPERIMENTALTopical Dutasteride 0.05% gel versus topical triple fixed-dose combination
EXPERIMENTALInterventions
* Group I will be treated by topical Dutasteride 0.05% gel versus placebo (Petrolatum) (split face). * Group II will be treated by topical Dutasteride 0.05% gel versus topical triple fixed-dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% gel (split face).
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Patients with facial acne vulgaris older than 18 years.
You may not qualify if:
- · Unrealistic expectations.
- Unable to follow up.
- Severe and nodulocystic AV.
- Patients on topical treatment for AV (4 weeks before enrollment) and on systemic treatment for AV (3 months before enrollment).
- Patients on any systemic medication 3 months before enrollment.
- Suspicion of malignancy, including prostate cancer
- History of infertility or difficulty in fathering children.
- Pregnancy \& lactation.
- Planning to become pregnant during study period or 6 months after ending treatment
- Patients with any concomitant dermatologic or systemic illness.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Related Publications (16)
Voutilainen A, Pitkaaho T, Kvist T, Vehvilainen-Julkunen K. How to ask about patient satisfaction? The visual analogue scale is less vulnerable to confounding factors and ceiling effect than a symmetric Likert scale. J Adv Nurs. 2016 Apr;72(4):946-57. doi: 10.1111/jan.12875. Epub 2015 Dec 22.
PMID: 26689434BACKGROUNDEl-Husseiny R, Elframawy S, Abdallah M. Comparative study between fractional carbon dioxide laser vs intralesional steroid injection in treatment of alopecia areata. Dermatol Ther. 2020 Jul;33(4):e13742. doi: 10.1111/dth.13742. Epub 2020 Jul 9.
PMID: 32478930BACKGROUNDBoonpethkaew S, Ratanapokasatit Y, Chirasuthat S, Wattanakrai P. Efficacy and safety of the 589/1319 nm solid-state dual-wavelength laser combined with topical benzoyl peroxide for inflammatory acne vulgaris: a split-face randomized controlled trial. Arch Dermatol Res. 2025 Mar 26;317(1):635. doi: 10.1007/s00403-025-04146-6.
PMID: 40140055BACKGROUNDCharakida A, Charakida M, Chu AC. Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of a lotion containing triethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Br J Dermatol. 2007 Sep;157(3):569-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.08083.x. Epub 2007 Jul 16.
PMID: 17635508BACKGROUNDElradi M, Hamed DE, Eltwansy MS, Hosny D. The Impact of Acne on Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study from Egypt. Skin Appendage Disord. 2025 Jun;11(3):255-261. doi: 10.1159/000543051. Epub 2024 Dec 10.
PMID: 40475110BACKGROUNDKim KY, Song SY, Jung YJ, Jue MS, Hong JY, Kim BJ, Ko JY. A Randomized, Split-Face, Comparative Study of a Combined Needle Radiofrequency/Intense Pulsed Light Device in Moderate-to-Severe Acne Patients. Ann Dermatol. 2024 Oct;36(5):266-274. doi: 10.5021/ad.23.083.
PMID: 39343753BACKGROUNDKim HJ, Kim YH. Exploring Acne Treatments: From Pathophysiological Mechanisms to Emerging Therapies. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 May 13;25(10):5302. doi: 10.3390/ijms25105302.
PMID: 38791344BACKGROUNDBeylot C, Auffret N, Poli F, Claudel JP, Leccia MT, Del Giudice P, Dreno B. Propionibacterium acnes: an update on its role in the pathogenesis of acne. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2014 Mar;28(3):271-8. doi: 10.1111/jdv.12224. Epub 2013 Aug 1.
PMID: 23905540BACKGROUNDAlmudimeegh A, AlMutairi H, AlTassan F, AlQuraishi Y, Nagshabandi KN. Comparison between dutasteride and finasteride in hair regrowth and reversal of miniaturization in male and female androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review. Dermatol Reports. 2024 Apr 12;16(4):9909. doi: 10.4081/dr.2024.9909. eCollection 2024 Nov 21.
PMID: 39749123BACKGROUNDLeyden J, Bergfeld W, Drake L, Dunlap F, Goldman MP, Gottlieb AB, Heffernan MP, Hickman JG, Hordinsky M, Jarrett M, Kang S, Lucky A, Peck G, Phillips T, Rapaport M, Roberts J, Savin R, Sawaya ME, Shalita A, Shavin J, Shaw JC, Stein L, Stewart D, Strauss J, Swinehart J, Swinyer L, Thiboutot D, Washenik K, Weinstein G, Whiting D, Pappas F, Sanchez M, Terranella L, Waldstreicher J. A systemic type I 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor is ineffective in the treatment of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004 Mar;50(3):443-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2003.07.021.
PMID: 14988688BACKGROUNDPanuganti VK, Kumar Madala P, Ramalingayya Grandhi V, Varma Alluri C, Mohammad J, Rao Kssvv S, Reddy Dundigalla M. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo and Active Controlled Phase II Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Novel Dutasteride Topical Solution (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.05% w/v) in Male Subjects With Androgenetic Alopecia. Cureus. 2025 Aug 3;17(8):e89309. doi: 10.7759/cureus.89309. eCollection 2025 Aug.
PMID: 40909044BACKGROUNDDel Rosso JQ, Kircik L. The cutaneous effects of androgens and androgen-mediated sebum production and their pathophysiologic and therapeutic importance in acne vulgaris. J Dermatolog Treat. 2024 Dec;35(1):2298878. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2023.2298878. Epub 2024 Jan 8.
PMID: 38192024BACKGROUNDGupta AK, Mann A, Vincent K, Abramovits W. CABTREOTM (Clindamycin Phosphate, Adapalene, and Benzoyl Peroxide) Topical Gel. Skinmed. 2024 Oct 22;22(5):375-378. eCollection 2024.
PMID: 39433524BACKGROUNDStein Gold L, Baldwin H, Kircik LH, Weiss JS, Pariser DM, Callender V, Lain E, Gold M, Beer K, Draelos Z, Sadick N, Pillai R, Bhatt V, Tanghetti EA. Efficacy and Safety of a Fixed-Dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% Gel for Moderate-to-Severe Acne: A Randomized Phase II Study of the First Triple-Combination Drug. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2022 Jan;23(1):93-104. doi: 10.1007/s40257-021-00650-3. Epub 2021 Oct 21.
PMID: 34674160BACKGROUNDReynolds RV, Yeung H, Cheng CE, Cook-Bolden F, Desai SR, Druby KM, Freeman EE, Keri JE, Stein Gold LF, Tan JKL, Tollefson MM, Weiss JS, Wu PA, Zaenglein AL, Han JM, Barbieri JS. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024 May;90(5):1006.e1-1006.e30. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.017. Epub 2024 Jan 30.
PMID: 38300170BACKGROUNDSutaria AH, Masood S, Saleh HM, Schlessinger J. Acne Vulgaris. 2023 Aug 17. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459173/
PMID: 29083670BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- QUADRUPLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Principal investigator
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
February 8, 2026
First Posted
February 19, 2026
Study Start
April 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
April 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
April 1, 2028
Last Updated
February 19, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-02
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share