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Clindamycin Phosphate and Tretinoin
Overview
Active ingredients
Source: NDC DirectoryForms, strengths and routes
Source: NDC DirectoryPharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.
Pharmacologic class
Source: NDC Directory| Class | Type | Browse |
|---|---|---|
| Decreased Sebaceous Gland Activity [PE] | PE | All 37 members |
| Lincosamide Antibacterial [EPC] | EPC | All 19 members |
| Lincosamides [CS] | CS | All 19 members |
| Neuromuscular Blockade [PE] | PE | All 24 members |
| Retinoid [EPC] | EPC | All 35 members |
| Retinoids [CS] | CS | All 35 members |
Regulatory status
Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory| Product | Trade name | Form | Strength | Ingredient | Status | TE | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 202564-001 | CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE AND TRETINOIN | GEL | CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE; TRETINOIN | Prescription | AB1 |
Therapeutic equivalence
Source: Orange BookWhat this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — bioequivalence demonstrated by in vivo or in vitro testing
Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.
Approval history
Source: Drugs@FDA| Type | No. | Action | Status | Date | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original application | 1 | Approved | June 12, 2015 | — |
Review documents
- 0 · Original application · June 16, 2015
Prescribing information
Source: openFDA Drug LabelingReproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20250102). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.
Indications and Usage
openFDA Drug Labeling1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel 1.2% / 0.025% is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years or older. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel 1.2% / 0.025% is a lincosamide antibiotic and retinoid combination product indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years or older. ( 1 )
Dosage and Administration
openFDA Drug Labeling2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION At bedtime, squeeze a pea-sized amount of medication onto one fingertip, dot onto the chin, cheeks, nose, and forehead, then gently rub over the entire face. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should be kept away from the eyes, the mouth, angles of the nose, and mucous membranes. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. Apply a pea-sized amount to the entire face once daily at bedtime. Do not apply to eyes, mouth, angles of the nose, or mucous membranes. ( 2 ) Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. ( 2 )
Dosage Forms and Strengths
openFDA Drug Labeling3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel, a combination of a lincosamide antibiotic and a retinoid, contains clindamycin phosphate, USP 1.2% and tretinoin, USP 0.025%, formulated as a topical gel. Each gram of clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel contains, as dispensed, 10 mg (1%) clindamycin as phosphate, USP, and 0.25 mg (0.025%) tretinoin, USP in an aqueous based gel. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is available in 30 gram and 60 gram tubes. Topical gel: Clindamycin phosphate, USP 1.2% and tretinoin, USP 0.025% gel in 30 and 60 gram tubes. ( 3 )
Contraindications
openFDA Drug Labeling4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is contraindicated in patients with regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis, or history of antibiotic-associated colitis. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is contraindicated in patients with regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis, or history of antibiotic–associated colitis. ( 4 )
Warnings and Cautions
openFDA Drug Labeling5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Colitis: Clindamycin can cause severe colitis, which may result in death. Diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported with the use of clindamycin. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should be discontinued if significant diarrhea occurs. ( 5.1 ) Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Exposures: Avoid exposure to sunlight and sunlamps. Wear sunscreen daily. ( 5.2 ) 5.1 Colitis Systemic absorption of clindamycin has been demonstrated following topical use of this product. Diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported with the use of topical clindamycin. When significant diarrhea occurs, clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should be discontinued. Severe colitis has occurred following oral or parenteral administration of clindamycin with an onset of up to several weeks following cessation of therapy. Antiperistaltic agents such as opiates and diphenoxylate with atropine may prolong and/or worsen severe colitis. Severe colitis may result in death. Studies indicate a toxin(s) produced by clostridia is one primary cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. The colitis is usually characterized by severe persistent diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps and may be associated with the passage of blood and mucus. Stool cultures for Clostridium difficile and stool assay for C. difficile toxin may be helpful diagnostically. 5.2 Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Exposure Exposure to sunlight, including sunlamps, should be avoided during the use of clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel, and patients with sunburn should be advised not to use the product until fully recovered because of heightened susceptibility to sunlight as a result of the use of tretinoin. Patients who may be required to have considerable sun exposure due to occupation and those with inherent sensitivity to the sun should exercise particular caution. Daily use of sunscreen products and protective apparel (e.g., a hat) are recommended. Weather extremes, such as wind or cold, also may be irritating to patients under treatment with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel.
Adverse Reactions
openFDA Drug Labeling6 ADVERSE REACTIONS Observed local adverse reactions in patients treated with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel were skin erythema, scaling, itching, burning, and stinging. Other most commonly reported adverse events (≥ 1% in patients treated with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel) were nasopharyngitis, pharyngolaryngeal pain, dry skin, cough, and sinusitis. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Teva at 1-888-838-2872 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under prescribed conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trial may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The adverse reaction information from clinical trials does, however, provide a basis for identifying the adverse reactions that appear to be related to drug use for approximating rates. The safety data presented in Table 1 (below) reflects exposure to clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel in 1,853 patients with acne vulgaris. Patients were 12 years and older and were treated once daily for 12 weeks. Adverse reactions that were reported in ≥ 1% of patients treated with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel were compared to adverse reactions in patients treated with clindamycin phosphate 1.2% in vehicle gel, tretinoin 0.025% in vehicle gel, and the vehicle gel alone: Table 1: Adverse Reactions Reported in at Least 1% of Patients Treated with Clindamycin Phosphate and Tretinoin Gel: 12-Week Studies Clindamycin Phosphate and Tretinoin Gel Clindamycin Tretinoin Vehicle N=1853 N=1428 N=846 N=423 N (%) N (%) N (%) N (%) Note: Formulations used in all treatment arms were in the clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin vehicle gel. PATIENTS WITH AT LEAST ONE AR 497 (27) 342 (24) 225 (27) 91 (22) Nasopharyngitis 65 (4) 64 (5) 16 (2) 5 (1) Pharyngolaryngeal pain 29 (2) 18 (1) 5 (1) 7 (2) Dry skin 23 (1) 7 (1) 3 (<1) 0 (0) Cough 19 (1) 21 (2) 9 (1) 2 (1) Sinusitis 19 (1) 19 (1) 15 (2) 4 (1) Cutaneous safety and tolerance evaluations were conducted at each study visit in all of the clinical trials by assessment of erythema, scaling, itching, burning, and stinging: Table 2: Clindamycin Phosphate and Tretinoin Gel-Treated Patients with Local Skin Reactions Local Reaction Baseline End of Treatment N=1835 N=1614 N (%) N (%) Erythema 636 (35) 416 (26) Scaling 237 (13) 280 (17) Itching 189 (10) 70 (4) Burning 38 (2) 56 (4) Stinging 33 (2) 27 (2) At each study visit, application site reactions on a scale of 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), and 3 (severe), and the mean scores were calculated for each of the local skin reactions. In Studies 1 and 2, 1277 subjects enrolled with moderate to severe acne, 854 subjects treated with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel and 423 treated with vehicle. Analysis over the twelve week period demonstrated that cutaneous irritation scores for erythema, scaling, itching, burning, and stinging peaked at two weeks of therapy, and were slightly higher for the clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin-treated group, decreasing thereafter. One open-label 12-month safety study for clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel showed a similar adverse reaction profile as seen in the 12-week studies. Eighteen out of 442 subjects (4%) reported gastrointestinal symptoms.
Drug Interactions
openFDA Drug Labeling7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Concomitant use of topical medications with a strong drying effect can increase skin irritation. Use with caution. ( 7.1 ) Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should not be used in combination with erythromycin-containing products because of its clindamycin component. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Concomitant Topical Medication Concomitant topical medication, medicated or abrasive soaps and cleansers, soaps and cosmetics that have a strong drying effect, and products with high concentrations of alcohol, astringents, spices or lime should be used with caution. When used with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel, there may be increased skin irritation. 7.2 Erythromycin Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should not be used in combination with erythromycin-containing products due to its clindamycin component. In vitro studies have shown antagonism between these two antimicrobials. The clinical significance of this in vitro antagonism is not known. 7.3 Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Clindamycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents. Therefore, clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should be used with caution in patients receiving such agents.
Use in Specific Populations
openFDA Drug Labeling8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Pediatric Use: The efficacy and safety have not been established in pediatric patients below the age of 12 years. ( 8.4 ) 8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category C. There are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women treated with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel. Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. A limit teratology study performed in Sprague Dawley rats treated topically with clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel or 0.025% tretinoin gel at a dose of 2 mL/kg during gestation days 6 to 15 did not result in teratogenic effects. Although no systemic levels of tretinoin were detected, craniofacial and heart abnormalities were described in drug-treated groups. These abnormalities are consistent with retinoid effects and occurred at 16 times the recommended clinical dose assuming 100% absorption and based on body surface area comparison. For purposes of comparison of the animal exposure to human exposure, the recommended clinical dose is defined as 1 g of clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel applied daily to a 50-kg person. Clindamycin: Reproductive developmental toxicity studies performed in rats and mice using oral doses of clindamycin up to 600 mg/kg/day (480 and 240 times the recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison, respectively) or subcutaneous doses of clindamycin up to 180 mg/kg/day (140 and 70 times the recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison, respectively) revealed no evidence of teratogenicity. Tretinoin: Oral tretinoin has been shown to be teratogenic in mice, rats, hamsters, rabbits, and primates. It was teratogenic and fetotoxic in Wistar rats when given orally at doses greater than 1 mg/kg/day (32 times the recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison). However, variations in teratogenic doses among various strains of rats have been reported. In the cynomologous monkey, a species in which tretinoin metabolism is closer to humans than in other species examined, fetal malformations were reported at oral doses of 10 mg/kg/day or greater, but none were observed at 5 mg/kg/day (324 times the recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison), although increased skeletal variations were observed at all doses. Dose-related teratogenic effects and increased abortion rates were reported in pigtail macaques. With widespread use of any drug, a small number of birth defect reports associated temporally with the administration of the drug would be expected by chance alone. Thirty cases of temporally associated congenital malformations have been reported during 2 decades of clinical use of another formulation of topical tretinoin. Although no definite pattern of teratogenicity and no causal association have been established from these cases, 5 of the reports describe the rare birth defect category, holoprosencephaly (defects associated with incomplete midline development of the forebrain). The significance of these spontaneous reports in terms of risk to fetus is not known. 8.3 Nursing Mothers It is not known whether clindamycin is excreted in human milk following use of clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel. However, orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been reported to appear in breast milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. It is not known whether tretinoin is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel is administered to a nursing woman. 8.4 Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness of clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel in pediatric patients below the age of 12 years have not been established. Clinical …
Mechanism of Action
openFDA Drug Labeling12.1 Mechanism of Action Clindamycin: [See Microbiology ( 12.4 ).] Tretinoin: Although the exact mode of action of tretinoin is unknown, current evidence suggests that topical tretinoin decreases cohesiveness of follicular epithelial cells with decreased microcomedone formation. Additionally, tretinoin stimulates mitotic activity and increased turnover of follicular epithelial cells causing extrusion of the comedones.
Description
openFDA Drug Labeling11 DESCRIPTION Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel 1.2% / 0.025%, is an antibiotic and retinoid combination gel product with two active ingredients. Clindamycin phosphate, USP is a water-soluble ester of the semi-synthetic antibiotic produced by a 7(S)-chloro-substitution of the 7(R)-hydroxyl group of the parent antibiotic lincomycin. The chemical name for clindamycin phosphate, USP is Methyl 7-chloro-6,7,8-trideoxy-6-(1-methyl- trans -4- propyl-L-2-pyrrolidinecarboxamido)-1-thio-L- threo -α-D- galacto -octopyranoside 2-(dihydrogen phosphate). The structural formula for clindamycin phosphate, USP is represented below: Clindamycin phosphate, USP: Molecular Formula: C 18 H 34 ClN 2 O 8 PS Molecular Weight: 504.97 The chemical name for tretinoin, USP is 3,7-Dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2,4,6,8- nonatetraenoic acid (all- trans form). The structural formula for tretinoin, USP is represented below: Tretinoin, USP: Molecular Formula: C 20 H 28 O 2 Molecular Weight: 300.44 Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel 1.2% / 0.025% contains the following inactive ingredients: anhydrous citric acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, edetate disodium, hydroxyethyl cellulose, glycerin, methylparaben, polysorbate 80, propylparaben, purified water, tromethamine and xanthan gum. 12f9b5a2-figure-01 12f9b5a2-figure-02
How Supplied / Storage and Handling
openFDA Drug Labeling16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING Clindamycin phosphate and tretinoin gel 1.2% / 0.025% is supplied as follows: 30 gram tube NDC 0472-1790-30 60 gram tube NDC 0472-1790-60 Storage and Handling Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15 to 30°C (59 to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light. Protect from freezing. Keep away from heat. Keep tube tightly closed. Keep out of the reach of children.
Adverse event reports
Source: openFDA FAERSAttributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.
Packaging and NDCs
Source: NDC Directory| Package NDC | Product NDC | Labeler | Description | Marketing start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0472-1790-30 | 0472-1790 | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (0472-1790-30) / 30 g in 1 TUBE | July 5, 2016 |
| 0472-1790-60 | 0472-1790 | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (0472-1790-60) / 60 g in 1 TUBE | July 5, 2016 |
| 73473-306-30 | 73473-306 | Solaris Pharma Corporation | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (73473-306-30) / 30 g in 1 TUBE | January 3, 2025 |
| 73473-306-60 | 73473-306 | Solaris Pharma Corporation | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (73473-306-60) / 60 g in 1 TUBE | January 3, 2025 |
| 0472-1790 | 0472-1790 | Actavis Pharma, Inc. | — | July 5, 2016 |
| 73473-306 | 73473-306 | Solaris Pharma Corporation | — | January 3, 2025 |
Sources for this page
| Dataset | Agency | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| NDC Directory | FDA | Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages |
| Drugs@FDA | FDA | Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status |
| Orange Book | FDA | Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity |
| Drug Labeling | FDA / NLM | Prescribing information reproduced above |
| FAERS | FDA | Adverse event report counts |
Generated September 25, 2026 · 11 sections on this page.