New cold sore medicine uses 7.5% benzocaine

Quadex Labs has introduced Viroxyn Professional Use, a single application cold sore product available exclusively through healthcare professionals.

The patented no-touch system contains 7.5% benzocaine to numb the site of the cold sore, making it possible to address the virus itself. This starts the healing process immediately, and provides the best clinical outcome per dose of any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) cold sore medication, according to the company.

"Patients are increasingly turning to their dentists for overall healthcare issues. And cold sores are not a trivial issue, whether it is because of appearance, pain, or the possibility of contagion," said Neil Romano, president and CEO of Quadex Labs, in a press release. "Dentists are the most likely to see cold sores, and now they have a guaranteed, effective treatment that returns their patients to their normal lifestyle in a dramatically reduced period of time."

According to a study in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, the current top-selling OTC medication reduces cold sore healing time by only one day (February 2012, Vol. 24:2, pp. 103-109). The average cold sore lasts 10 to 12 days. When used properly, Viroxyn Professional Use heals the cold sore in only three days, while mitigating future outbreaks with early use, the study found.

In addition, Viroxyn Professional Use helps prevent the spread of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) because it allows dental professionals or patients to treat the cold sore without ever touching the affected area, according to Quadex

Viroxyn Professional Use is available exclusively through healthcare providers.