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FDA approves OTC antimicrobial gel
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SteriWeb Medical recently announced that the FDA has cleared its non-antibiotic antimicrobial gel for over-the-counter use, according to a press release from the company.
Omnicide, a petrolatum-based topical gel, is indicated for the treatment and prevention of infection in wounds. The gel has no known resistance to pathogenic fungi or bacteria, and it has demonstrated effectiveness against various infections, including MRSA, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, according to laboratory data.
A 2014 report from WHO indicates that there are significantly high rates of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria that cause health care-associated and community-acquired infections in each of the six WHO regions. Patients with resistant infections are typically burdened with worse clinical outcomes and greater mortality, and utilize more health care resources. The yearly cost associated with antimicrobial resistance in the United States is estimated to be $21 billion to $34 billion, with more than 8 million additional days spent in the hospital.
“In light of the recent World Health Organization’s landmark report on antibiotic resistance, it is clear that currently available topical infection treatments are becoming less and less effective,” Bradley Burnam, SteriWeb chief operating officer, said in the release. “Omnicide is a timely and important innovation.”
For more information:
WHO. Antimicrobial Resistance Global Report on Surveillance. 2014.