Prescription and over-the-counter medicine
Adapalene Brand names: Differin
Adapalene (Differin) is a prescription and over-the-counter medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1996. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 33 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.504 per gram (Adapalene 0.3% gel) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the adapalene FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 27, 2023, Galderma Laboratories, L.P.); the NDA 20380 record on Drugs@FDA; every adapalene label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of December 27, 2023; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageDIFFERIN Gel is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older.
Forms and strengths
- 0.00036 g/g
- 0.1 g/100g
- 0.1 g/g
- 1 mg/g
- 1 mg/ml
- 3 mg/g
Gel; cream; swab.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- May 31, 1996 Differin, Galderma Labs Lp; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 11 first June 2, 2010; 11 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 36 of which 33 under generic applications, 1 under brand applications, repackagers included
- Last listed patent
- May 31, 2028 Differin lotion; not a generic launch date
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.504 per gram Adapalene 0.3% gel
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 181,062 through July 30, 2026
What is adapalene used for?
From the label: indications and usageDIFFERIN Gel is indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older. DIFFERIN Gel, 0.3%, is a retinoid, indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older.
Conditions named in the indications of adapalene's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
FDA pharmacologic class: Retinoid.
Source: FDA drug label (DIFFERIN), Galderma Laboratories, L.P., effective December 27, 2023 (SPL set a0031324-92a6-4c11-90e2-c2818f7278ec), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the patient leaflet for adapalene say first?
The FDA-approved Medication Guide or Patient Information that comes with the medicine, in its own words.
From the patient leaflet: What should I avoid while using DIFFERIN Gel?Avoid spending time in sunlight, including sunlamps. DIFFERIN Gel can make your skin sensitive to the sun and the light from sunlamps. Use sunscreen and wear hat and clothes that cover the areas treated with DIFFERIN Gel if you have to be in sunlight. Cold weather and wind may irritate your skin treated with DIFFERIN Gel. Do not apply DIFFERIN Gel to cuts, abrasions, sunburned skin, or skin that is dry, itchy, or red. Avoid skin products that may dry or irritate your skin such as harsh soaps or cleansers, soaps and cosmetics that make your skin dry, and products that contain high levels of alcohol, astringents, spices, or limes. Avoid the use of “waxing” as a hair removal method on skin treated with DIFFERIN Gel.
From the patient leaflet: How should I store DIFFERIN Gel?Store DIFFERIN Gel at room temperature between 68° F to 77° F (20° C to 25° C). Do not freeze DIFFERIN Gel. Keep DIFFERIN Gel and all medicines out of the reach of children.
Source: FDA drug label (DIFFERIN), Galderma Laboratories, L.P., effective December 27, 2023 (SPL set a0031324-92a6-4c11-90e2-c2818f7278ec), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for adapalene (Differin)?
The FDA approved the first generic adapalene on June 2, 2010. 11 generic applications are approved; 11 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists adapalene from 33 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 1 brand labeler. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
The Orange Book lists no patent for Differin gel; a patent listed only for Differin lotion runs to May 31, 2028. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.
- 1996 earliest approval on file
- 2010 first generic approved
- 2028 last listed patent
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for adapalene (Differin)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.504 per gram (Adapalene 0.3% gel), down 10% from $0.557 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Adapalene 0.1% gel (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adapalene 0.1% cream | Generic | $2.85 per gram | n/a | +11% |
| Adapalene 0.1% gel | Generic | $0.466 per gram | n/a | +6% |
| Adapalene 0.3% gel | Generic | $0.504 per gram | n/a | -10% |
| Adapalene 0.3% gel pump | Generic | $0.850 per gram | n/a | -16% |
| Gnp adapalene 0.1% gel | Generic | $0.466 per gram | n/a | -6% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What does the adapalene label say about other medicines?
The adapalene label names 1 other medicine in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic acid | drug interactions | Particular caution should be exercised in using preparations containing sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid in combination with Adapalene Cream, 0.1%. |
Source: FDA drug label (DIFFERIN), Galderma Laboratories, L.P., effective December 27, 2023 (SPL set a0031324-92a6-4c11-90e2-c2818f7278ec), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for adapalene?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 181,062 reports that list adapalene among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 33 are coded as a death and 359 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is. Reports rose sharply in 2020 (58,491, against a median of 4,124 a year): FAERS counts follow reporting, which news, litigation and label changes can drive, not how often a reaction happens.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What else is labeled for the same conditions as adapalene?
13 other medicines are given the same way (topical) and in the same FDA class as adapalene or labeled mainly for the same use (acne), the same class first. Acne lists all 26 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (topical) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tretinoin | Acne | 19 labelers | $0.506 per gram 0.025% cream | No current entry |
| Tazarotene | Acne | 6 labelers | $6.11 per gram 0.1% gel | No current entry |
| Clindamycin and tretinoin | Acne | 3 labelers | $3.91 per gram 1.2%-0.025% | No current entry |
| Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin | Acne | none listed | $31.66 per gram 0.1%-3% cream pump | No current entry |
| Trifarotene | Acne | none listed | $16.36 per gram 0.005% cream | No current entry |
| Salicylic acid | Acne | none listed | $0.102 per patch Callus removers patch | No current entry |
| Benzoyl peroxide | Acne | none listed | $0.0469 per gram 10% wash | No current entry |
| Sulfur | Acne | none listed | n/a | No current entry |
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does adapalene compare with medicines for the same use?
8 side-by-side pages set adapalene beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Alternatives to adapalene
- 13 medicines for the same use
- Other retinoids
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Adapalene side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other