METHODS FOR TREATING SKIN DISORDERS WITH TOPICAL NITROGEN MUSTARD COMPOSITIONS

1 . A method for treating a skin disorder comprising topically applying to the affected skin a composition comprising an effective amount of an alkylating agent or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an excipient, wherein a response rate with 90% confidence interval in a group of human subjects upon application of said composition is 80-120% of a response rate achieved upon application of a reference composition, wherein said reference composition comprises bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine and 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the response rate in a group of human patients upon application of said reference compound is greater than about 50%, greater than about 55%, greater than about 60%, greater than about 65%, or about 70%.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the time to achieve the response rate upon application of said composition or said reference composition in a group of human patients is about 30 weeks or less.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the time to achieve the response rate upon application of said composition or said reference composition in a group of human patients is between 15 and 30 weeks.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the time to achieve the response rate upon application of said composition or said reference composition in a group of human patients is about 25, about 20, about 15, about 10, or about 5 weeks or less.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the response rate is determined based on Composite Assessment of Index Lesion Score (“CAILS”) or Severity Weighted Assessment Tool (“SWAT”).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the skin disorder is mycosis fungioides.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the percent occurrence of an adverse event in a group of human patients upon application of the composition is substantially equal to the percent occurrence of the adverse event upon application of the reference composition.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the adverse event is skin toxicity, such as allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, or hypersensitivity, or skin cancer.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the alkylating agent or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is present in an amount of about 0.001% to about 2.0% by weight of the composition or reference composition, of about 0.01% to about 0.04% by weight of the composition or reference composition, or of about 0.015% to about 0.030% by weight of the composition or reference composition, or of about 0.02% by weight of the composition or reference composition.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said group of human subjects is an intent-to-treat group.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said group of human subjects is an efficacy-evaluable group.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said excipient is a compound of the formula HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OR 79 or (HO(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 R 79 ), wherein R 79 is selected from the group consisting of a linear alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl group having 2-12 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3-17 carbon atoms, a fluorinated linear alkyl group having 2-12 carbon atoms, a fluorinated branched alkyl group having 2-12 carbon atoms, and a fluorinated cycloalkyl group having 3-17 carbon atoms, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkaryl group, a cycloalkyl group, a bicycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkalkenyl group, an alkenylalkyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkalkynyl group, an alkynylalkyl group, a trifluoropropyl group, a cyanopropyl group, an acryloyl group, an arylacryloyl group, an acryloylaryl group, an alkylacyl group, an arylacyl group, an alkylenylacyl group and an alkynylacyl group, or combinations thereof.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said alkylating agent is bis-(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine, bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine, or tris-(2-chloroethyl)amine.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said alkylating agent is bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine.

16 . The method of claim 14 or 15 , wherein the alkylating agent or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is present in an amount of about 0.001% to about 2.0% by weight of the composition, of about 0.01% to about 0.04% by weight of the composition, or of about 0.015% to about 0.030% by weight of the composition, or of about 0.02% by weight of the composition.