11/16/2009 0 Comments Contact Our News Editors

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qutenza (capsaicin) 8% patch, a medicated skin patch that relieves the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a serious complication that can occur after a bout with shingles.

Shingles is an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox — the varicella-zoster virus. Anyone who once had chickenpox is at risk of shingles since the virus may become reactivated years after the initial infection. PHN is a condition affecting nerve fibers and the skin that can cause excruciating pain for weeks, months or even years. About 10 to 15 percent of patients who have shingles experience PHN and the complication is even more common in elderly patients.

Qutenza contains capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers. Although there are over-the-counter products with lower concentrations of capsaicin that are marketed for the treatment of PHN, Qutenza is the first pure, concentrated, synthetic capsaicin-containing prescription drug to undergo FDA review.