LINOTAR® GEL 1% / EXOREX® LOTION 5% w/w / EXOREX® GEL 1% – PRODUCT PROFILE
Linotar® Gel 1%, also known as Exorex® Lotion 5% w/w (UK and Ireland) or Exorex® Gel 1% penetrating emulsion (U.S.A.), is a highly innovative topical dermatological preparation indicated for the treatment of Psoriasis and Eczema. The active ingredient is distilled coal tar. In addition, Linotar® Gel 1% features a sophisticated vehicle consisting of a specific combination of free essential fatty acids. Linotar®, as a result, has been successfully applied without most of the burdens that are usually associated with the use of some more conventional coal tar preparations.
Mode of action
Contrary to most traditional coal tar preparations, Linotar® Gel 1% produces an extremely rapid and almost complete penetration (1). The excipients have a transdermal carrier function, bringing coal tar much more efficiently through the affected skin. Thanks to this special feature and due to the general physical properties of Linotar® Gel 1%, the product does not provoke as much of the yellow staining that is common to coal tar products, nor does it produce the traditional strong coal tar smell: The product “disappears” within minutes, without leaving visible traces.
Linotar® Range Treatment System
Linotar® Gel 1% has been developed by Meyer Zall Laboratories of George, South Africa and was first launched in 1993 in its home market for both the indications psoriasis and eczema, as part of a complete treatment system that also included the specially developed compatible Linocream® Moisurising Cream and Linoscalp® leave-on Scalp Conditioner. Since 1993, the 100% equivalent product Exorex® Gel 1% has been successfully introduced in Australia, New Zealand, and in a number of African and Asian countries, as well as in the U.S.A., Canada, Israel, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 1996 Exorex® Lotion 5% w/w was registered in Austria, Greece, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Clinically proven
Exorex® Gel 1% has been shown to be clinically and statistically equally effective as the vitamin D derivate calcipotriol (also known as Daivonex®, Dovonex® or Psorcutan® Cream) and superior to any coal tar in the treatment of psoriasis, through objective parameters and in patient preference scores. Results of a recently completed Austrian (University of Vienna, 2001) 40-patient clinical trial proves this point (2). These results closely match those of an earlier 18-patient US pilot study in which Exorex® Gel 1% is compared with the vitamin D derivate Dovonex® (calcipotriene) (3).
References
(1) Saunders James C J, Davis Henry J, Coetzee Linda, Botha Susan; Kruger Ansie E, Grobler, Anne. A Novel Skin Penetration Enhancer: Evaluation By Membrane Diffusion And Confocal Microscopy. J Pharm Pharmaceut Sci (https://www.cspscanada.org/) 2(3):99-107, 1999.
Web link to Exorex Lotion (Gel 1%) / Linotar Gel 1% trans dermal carrier: https://sites.ualberta.ca/~csps/JPPS2(3)/J.Saunders/microscopy.htm
(2) Tzaneva S, Hönigsmann H, Tanew A. Observer-blind, randomized, intrapatient comparison of a novel 1% coal tar preparation (Exorex®) and Calcipotriol cream in the treatment of plaque type psoriasis. British Journal of Dermatoly 2003 Aug;149(2):350-3.
Web link to Exorex Lotion (Gel 1%) 40-patient clinical study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12932242/
(3) Veronikis, Irini E, Malabanan, Alan O, Holick Michael F. Comparison of Calcipotriene cream (Dovonex®) with a coal tar emulsion (Exorex®) in treating psoriasis in adults: a pilot study. Arch Dermatol 1999 Apr;135(4):474-5.
Web link to Exorex Lotion (Gel 1%) 18-patient pilot study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10206065/
