of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation Evolution of acne therapy on the global and Russian pharmaceutical market

the peak incidence of acne typically occurs between the ages of 12 and 25, with approximately 85% of teenagers being susceptible to it. However, there has been a recent increase in the number of patients, both younger than 14 and women older than 30. For over 50 years, the main treatments for acne have remained the same: topical and systemic retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, and hormonal medications. Recently, two new INNs have emerged on the market: sarecycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, and clascoterone, a first-in-class medication with a unique mechanism of action. They are not yet available on the Russian market, but in 2021-2024 there was a sharp increase in the consumption of systemic isotretinoin (more than 50% of the market in value in 2024), as well as changes in the sales structure of drugs for external use - gels and solutions have practically ousted powders from the market. Despite the relatively conservative treatment approaches and the expiration of patent protection for most substances and their combinations, the share of domestically produced drugs is growing slowly, which may be due to strong marketing campaigns and brand power of foreign manufacturers.

acne, acne vulgaris, retinoids, marketing analysis, Russian market, clinical guideline