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Ada9.0
Adapalene Research
Mostly mechanism / observationalModerate safety
8 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Mostly mechanism / observational
Most Adapalene studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from medium-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 1993–2021 with a typical study size of 378 participants.
Based on 8 studies · 1 meta-analysis · 6 RCTs · 2,245 total participants
Confidence
High
By outcome
Skin healthSignificant reduction in comedonal and inflammatory acne (frontline retinoid); most effective combined with benzoyl peroxide · 8-12 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational6 studies
Muscle strength & power
Too few graded studies1 study
Safety profile
Too few graded studies1 study
Steady research
1 study in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 1998
199320072021
1Meta-Analysisn=900 · large study1998
Adapalene demonstrated equivalent efficacy to tretinoin in terms of reducing total lesion count. Adapalene demonstrated more rapid efficacy... Adapalene also demonstrated considerably greater local tolerability at all evaluation periods.
Cunliffe WJ, Poncet M, Loesche C, Verschoore M. · Br J Dermatol (1998)
Meta-analysis of five randomized investigator-blind trials (900 patients) in mild-to-moderate acne
Adapalene 0.1% gel achieved total-lesion reduction equivalent to tretinoin 0.025% gel
Adapalene showed faster onset (significant by week 1) and significantly better local tolerability at all timepoints
The fixed-dose combination gel of adapalene and BPO was significantly more effective than corresponding monotherapies, with significant differences in total lesion counts observed as early as 1 week.
Thiboutot DM, Weiss J, Bucko A, Eichenfield L, Jones T, Clark S, Liu Y, Graeber M, Kang S; Adapalene-BPO Study Group. · J Am Acad Dermatol (2007)
Pivotal 12-week double-blind RCT (n=517) of adapalene-BPO vs adapalene, BPO, or vehicle
The fixed combination was significantly more effective than either monotherapy, separating by week 1
Tolerability matched adapalene monotherapy — synergy without added irritation
The median percentage reduction from baseline in total lesion counts at week 12 was significantly higher (P < 0·001) in the lymecycline with A/BPO group (-74·1%) than in the lymecycline with vehicle group (-56·8%).
Dréno B, Kaufmann R, Talarico S, Torres Lozada V, Rodríguez-Castellanos MA, Gómez-Flores M, De Maubeuge J, Berg M, Foley P, Sysa-Jedrzejowska A, Kerrouche N, Paliargues F, Bettoli V. · Br J Dermatol (2011)
12-week double-blind RCT (n=378) of oral lymecycline plus adapalene-BPO vs lymecycline plus vehicle in moderate-to-severe acne
Adding adapalene-BPO produced significantly greater total-lesion reduction (-74.1% vs -56.8%) and higher success rate
Rapid onset and good tolerability — supports adapalene-BPO as an add-on in more severe acne
Adapalene maintenance therapy resulted in significantly larger maintenance rates (75% vs 54%; P<.001) and significantly lower lesion counts compared with gel vehicle.
Thiboutot DM, Shalita AR, Yamauchi PS, Dawson C, Kerrouche N, Arsonnaud S, Kang S. · Arch Dermatol (2006)
16-week investigator-blind RCT (n=253) of adapalene 0.1% gel vs vehicle as maintenance after initial combination therapy
Adapalene maintenance significantly outperformed vehicle on maintenance rate (75% vs 54%) and lesion counts
Safe and well tolerated — supports topical-retinoid maintenance per acne guidelines
12-week randomized, evaluator-blinded noninferiority RCT (n=172) of adapalene 0.3% gel vs tazarotene 0.1% gel
Adapalene 0.3% was noninferior (not superior), with median total-lesion reductions of 61% vs 57% at week 12
Adapalene 0.3% had significantly better tolerability and fewer treatment-related adverse events (3.5% vs 14%)
7RCTn=25 · very small study1993
Although CD271 treatment did not lead to erythema or affect epidermal morphology, its ability to induce a marker of retinoid action (i.e., CRABP-II) was 70% the potency of all-trans retinoic acid.