Safety and Efficacy of Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Emollient Foam for the Treatment of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia.

Callender, Valerie D; Kazemi, Abrahem; Young, Cherie M; Chappell, Jeaneen A; Sperling, Leonard C

Background: There is currently an unmet need for the treatment of women with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Clobetasol propionate 0.05% emollient foam for the treatment of women with CCCA. Methods: Adult women of African descent that presented with clinical evidence of early CCCA were enrolled (N=30). Clobetasol propionate 0.05% emollient foam was applied daily in an open-label fashion. Safety and efficacy assessments were performed at weeks 2, 6, 12, and 14. Results: Subjects achieved substantial improvements in pruritus, pain, tenderness, erythema and scaling. Scalp biopsies revealed considerable improvements in severe inflammation and perifollicular edema. Overall, clobetasol propionate 0.05% emollient foam was well-tolerated. Limitations: This was a nonrandomized, open-label study. Enrollment was limited to subjects with clinically mild CCCA. Conclusion: Subjects with CCCA that applied topical clobetasol propionate 0.05% emollient foam to their scalp daily demonstrated continuous clinical improvement throughout the 14-week study. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01111981 J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(7): doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.5201.