Galderma symposium provides useful expert forum

French dermatology specialist Galderma Laboratories, a joint venture by Nestle and L'Oreal that was established in 1981, says that a symposium it organized at this year's World Congress of Dermatology in Buenos Aires, Argentina, saw experts in the field discuss a wide range of issues. Topics covered included the identification of key factors in treatment compliance and the emergence of new therapies, as well as specific disorders such as scalp psoriasis.

New data presented at the meeting demonstrated that use of a new spray formulation of clobetasol in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis brought about significant improvement in terms of scaling cause by the disease, erythema and plaque thickening. Specifically, the results showed that 82% of patients treated became almost clear of disease within four weeks of beginning treatment.

Other research presented showed that effective topical treatments for skin disorders need not necessarily be greasy, whereas less "messy" products like corticosteroids are likely to boost therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance. Conclusions produced at the event included that topical treatments are likely to complement the benefits conferred by biologics, and that patient comfort and quality of life are key factors in any successful therapeutic regimen.