Open-Label Safety Study to Evaluate Imiquimod Cream, 5% for Large Areas of Actinic Keratosis

Overview

Actinic keratosis (AK) is a skin condition that shows up on skin routinely exposed to the sun, such as the face, scalp, shoulders, chest, back, arms, and hands. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of one, two, or three cycles of imiquimod for the treatment of AK. The AK lesions treated can be in adjacent and nonadjacent areas of the head, torso, and extremities. The total surface area for the AK lesions must be greater than 25 cm2. The secondary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with imiquimod in people with large surface areas of AK.

This was a Phase 4, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study in male and female subjects aged 18 years or older with clinically diagnosed AK lesions, conducted at 31 investigational sites in the United States. This study assessed the safety of imiquimod as a treatment for AK applied in doses ranging from one packet 12.5 mg) to 6 packets (75 mg) to either single or multiple body regions for up to 3 cycles, depending upon treatment success and AK lesion recurrence. Eligible subjects applied imiquimod 5% cream prior to normal sleeping hours 2 days per week to at least 4 clinically typical, visible, discrete, nonhypertrophic AK lesions in contiguous or noncontiguous treatment areas totaling greater than 25 cm2 at baseline. Multiple treatment areas could be exposed (i.e., head, torso and/or extremities), with the number of packets determined by the investigator but not to exceed one packet for each 25 cm2 treatment area, up to a maximum of 6 packets per dose. In each treatment cycle, dosing was to continue for 16 weeks (approximately 4 months), as instructed by the investigator, followed by a 2-month, treatment-free follow-up period.