Reviews

Efficacy and safety of topical sofpironium bromide in treating primary axillary hyperhidrosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Published: 16 June 2026
74
Views
50
Downloads

Authors

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical sofpironium bromide in patients with primary axillary hyperhidrosis (PAH) in various published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Medline databases through April 30, 2025, using keywords related to sofpironium and PAH. The odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) was calculated using a random effects model with 95% confidence interval (CI). Three RCTs of sofpironium were included in the meta-analysis, with 1,209 patients with PAH. Sofpironium, compared to the vehicle, showed statistically significant improvement in the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Measure–Axillary (HDSM-Ax) score (OR=2.35, 95% CI [1.82 to 3.04]), Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) score (OR=2.02, [1.46 to 2.79]), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score (MD=−2.75, [−3.58 to −1.92]), and gravimetric sweat production (MD=−26.39, [−44.65 to −8.12]). The incidences of anticholinergic adverse events (AEs) and application site AEs were statistically higher in patients treated with sofpironium. Sofpironium is an effective treatment for PAH associated with significant improvements in sweat reduction and QOL for patients, although the drug also has risks of anticholinergic or application-site AEs.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

1. Fujimoto T, Yokozeki H, Nakazato Y, et al. Guidelines of the Japanese dermatological association, clinical guidelines for primary focal hyperhidrosis (revised edition in 2023). Jpn J Dermatol 2023;133:157-88 (Article in Japanese).
2. Hamm H. Impact of hyperhidrosis on quality of life and its assessment. Dermatol Clin 2014;32:467-76.
3. Fujimoto T, Inose Y, Nakamura H, et al. Questionnaire-based epidemiological survey of primary focal hyperhidrosis and survey on current medical management of primary axillary hyperhidrosis in Japan. Arch Dermatol Res 2023;315:409-17.
4. Murota H, Fujimoto T, Oshima Y, et al. Cost-of-illness study for axillary hyperhidrosis in Japan. J Dermatol 2021;48:1482-90.
5. Murad MH, Montori VM, Ioannidis JPA, et al. How to read a systematic review and meta-analysis and apply the results to patient care: users' guides to the medical literature. JAMA 2014;312:171-9.
6. Odat RM, Aldalati AY, Hammadeh BM, et al. Efficacy and safety of sofpironium in treatment of primary hyperhidrosis: a systematic review. J Dermatolog Treat 2025;36:2441258.
7. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. Updating guidance for reporting systematic reviews: development of the PRISMA 2020 statement. J Clin Epidemiol 2021;134;103-12.
8. Ouzzani M, Hammady H, Fedorowicz Z, et al. Rayyan-a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Syst Rev 2016;5:210.
9. Sterne JAC, Savović J, Page MJ, et al. RoB 2: a revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ 2019;366:l4898.
10. Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, et al., editor(s). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.5 (updated August 2024). Cochrane, 2024. Available from: www.cochrane.org/handbook
11. Pariser D, Glaser DA, Rosso JD, et al. Sofpironium topical gel, 12.45%, for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis: Pooled efficacy and safety results from 2 phase 3 randomized, controlled, double-blind studies. J Am Acad Dermatol 2025;93:82-8.
12. Yokozeki H, Fujimoto T, Abe Y, et al. A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study of 5% sofpironium bromide (BBI-4000) gel in Japanese patients with primary axillary hyperhidrosis. J Dermatol 2021;48:279-88.
13. Kirsch B, Smith S, Cohen J, et al. Efficacy and safety of topical sofpironium bromide gel for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis: A phase II, randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 2020;82:1321-7.
14. Kirsch BM, Burke L, Hobart J, et al. The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Measure-Axillary: conceptualization and development of item content. J Drugs Dermatol 2018;17:707-14.
15. Hobart J, Burke L, Kirsch B, et al. Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Measure-Axillary (HDSM-Ax): evaluation of measurement performance. J Drugs Dermatol 2021;20:410-8.
16. Solish N, Bertucci V, Dansereau A, et al. A comprehensive approach to the recognition, diagnosis, and severity-based treatment of focal hyperhidrosis: recommendations of the Canadian Hyperhidrosis Advisory Committee. Dermatol Surg 2007;33:908-23.
17. Strutton DR, Kowalski JW, Glaser DA, et al. US prevalence of hyperhidrosis and impact on individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis: results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;51:241-8.
18. Hornberger J, Grimes K, Naumann M, et al. Recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of primary focal hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;51:274-86.
19. Finlay AY, Khan GK. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)--a simple practical measure for routine clinical use. Clin Exp Dermatol 1994;19:210-6.
20. Nawrocki S, Cha J. The etiology, diagnosis, and management of hyperhidrosis: A comprehensive review: Etiology and clinical work-up. J Am Acad Dermatol 2019;81:657-66.
21. Parashar K, Adlam T, Potts G. The Impact of hyperhidrosis on quality of life: a review of the literature. Am J Clin Dermatol 2023;24:187-98.
22. Varella AYM, Fukuda JMF, Teivelis MP, et al. Translation and validation of Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2016;62:843-7.
23. Wu WM, Buchwald P, Mori N, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations of the zwitterionic metabolite of a new series of N-substituted soft anticholinergics. Pharm Res 2005;22:2035-44.
24. Wu WM, Wu J, Mori N, et al. Stereoisomers of N-substituted soft anticholinergics and their zwitterionic metabolite based on glycopyrrolate--syntheses and pharmacological evaluations. Pharmazie 2008;63:200-9.
25. Fujimoto T, Abe Y, Igarashi M, et al. A phase III, 52-week, open-label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 5% sofpironium bromide (BBI-4000) gel in Japanese patients with primary axillary hyperhidrosis. J Dermatol 2021;48:1149-61.
26. Egger M, Smith GD, Schneider M, et al. Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. BMJ 1997;315:629-34.

Supporting Agencies

This study was funded by Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan).

How to Cite



1.
Oshima Y, Hashimoto T, Miyama H, Fujimoto T. Efficacy and safety of topical sofpironium bromide in treating primary axillary hyperhidrosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Dermatol Reports [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 16 [cited 2026 Jun. 20];. Available from: https://journals.pagepress.net/dr/article/view/10853