Dapsone gel, 5%, is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris.

Dapsone gel is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris (1).

For topical use only. Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.

After the skin is gently washed and patted dry, apply approximately a pea-sized amount of dapsone gel, 5%, in a thin layer to the acne affected areas twice daily. Rub in dapsone gel, 5%, gently and completely. Dapsone gel, 5%, is white to pale yellow gritty translucent gel with visible drug substance particles. Wash hands after application of dapsone gel, 5%.

If there is no improvement after 12 weeks, treatment with dapsone gel, 5%, should be reassessed.

• Apply twice daily (2).
•  Apply approximately a pea-sized amount of dapsone gel, 5%, in a thin layer to the acne affected area (2).
• If there is no improvement after 12 weeks, treatment with dapsone gel, 5%, should be reassessed (2).
• For topical use only. Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use (2).  

None.

 None (4).

• Methemoglobinemia: Cases of methemoglobinemia have been reported. Discontinue dapsone gel if signs of methemoglobinemia occur (5.1).
• Hematologic Effects: Some subjects with G6PD deficiency using dapsone gel developed laboratory changes suggestive of hemolysis. (5.2)(8.6).

Cases of methemoglobinemia, with resultant hospitalization, have been reported postmarketing in association with dapsone gel, 5% treatment. Patients with glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency or congenital or idiopathic methemoglobinemia are more susceptible to drug‐induced methemoglobinemia. Avoid use of dapsone gel, 5% in those patients with congenital or idiopathic methemoglobinemia.

Signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia may be delayed some hours after exposure. Initial signs and symptoms of methemoglobinemia are characterized by a slate grey cyanosis seen in, e.g., buccal mucous membranes, lips and nail beds. Advise patients to discontinue dapsone gel, 5% and seek immediate medical attention in the event of cyanosis.

Dapsone can cause elevated methemoglobin levels particularly in conjunction with methemoglobin‐inducing agents.

Oral dapsone treatment has produced dose-related hemolysis and hemolytic anemia. Individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency are more prone to hemolysis with the use of certain drugs. G6PD deficiency is most prevalent in populations of African, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean ancestry.

Some subjects with G6PD deficiency using dapsone gel developed laboratory changes suggestive of hemolysis. There was no evidence of clinically relevant hemolysis or anemia in patients treated with dapsone gel, 5%, including patients who were G6PD deficient.

Discontinue dapsone gel, 5%, if signs and symptoms suggestive of hemolytic anemia occur. Avoid use of dapsone gel, 5% in patients who are taking oral dapsone or antimalarial medications because of the potential for hemolytic reactions. Combination of dapsone gel, 5%, with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) may increase the likelihood of hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency.

Peripheral neuropathy (motor loss and muscle weakness) has been reported with oral dapsone treatment. No events of peripheral neuropathy were observed in clinical trials with topical dapsone  gel, 5% treatment.

Skin reactions (toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, morbilliform and scarlatiniform reactions, bullous and exfoliative dermatitis, erythema nodosum, and urticaria) have been reported with oral dapsone treatment. These types of skin reactions were not observed in clinical trials with topical dapsone  gel, 5% treatment.

Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 10%) are oiliness/peeling, dryness and erythema at the application site (6).

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. at 1-866-850-2876 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

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

Serious adverse reactions reported in subjects treated with dapsone gel, 5%, during clinical trials included but were not limited to the following:

• Nervous system/Psychiatric – Suicide attempt, tonic clonic movements.
• Gastrointestinal – Abdominal pain, severe vomiting, pancreatitis.
• Other – Severe pharyngitis

In the clinical trials, a total of 12 out of 4032 subjects were reported to have depression (3 of 1660 treated with vehicle and 9 of 2372 treated with dapsone gel, 5%). Psychosis was reported in 2 of 2372 subjects treated with dapsone gel, 5%, and in 0 of 1660 subjects treated with vehicle.

Combined contact sensitization/irritation studies with dapsone gel, 5%, in 253 healthy subjects resulted in at least 3 subjects with moderate erythema. Dapsone gel, 5%, did not induce phototoxicity or photoallergy in human dermal safety studies.

Dapsone gel, 5%, was evaluated for 12 weeks in four controlled trials for local cutaneous events in 1819 subjects. The most common events reported from these studies include oiliness/peeling, dryness, and erythema. These data are shown by severity in Table 1 below.

The adverse reactions occurring in at least 1% of subjects in either arm in the four vehicle controlled trials are presented in Table 2.

One subjects treated with dapsone gel in the clinical trials had facial swelling which led to discontinuation of medication.

In addition, 486 subjects were evaluated in a 12 month safety trial. The adverse event profile in this trial was consistent with that observed in the vehicle-controlled trials.

Although not observed in the clinical trials with dapsone gel (topical dapsone) serious adverse reactions have been reported with oral use of dapsone, including agranulocytosis, hemolytic anemia, peripheral neuropathy (motor loss and muscle weakness), and skin reactions (toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, morbilliform and scarlatiniform reactions, bullous and exfoliative dermatitis, erythema nodosum, and urticaria).

Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of topical dapsone: methemoglobinemia, rash (including erythematous rash, application site rash) and swelling of face (including lip swelling, eye swelling)