Podofilox 0.5% solution (Condylox - Oclassen) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of (condylomata acuminata). The drug requires a prescription, but is labeled for application by the patient. Similar topical solutions previously available for this indication are approved only for application by the physician.

Recombinant interferon alfa-2b (Intron A - Schering) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for intralesional treatment of genital warts (condylomata acuminata). Interferon was previously available only for treatment of hairy-cell leukemia (Medical Letter, 28:78, 1986).

The FDA has approved the marketing of sinecatechins (Veregen - Bradley/Medigene), a botanical drug product, for treatment of external genital and perianal warts. Sinecatechins is a water extract of green tea leaves from Camellia sinensis. It is a mixture of catechins and other green tea components.

Berdazimer 10.3% gel (Zelsuvmi – Ligand), a first-in-class nitric oxide-releasing agent, has been approved by the FDA for topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in patients ≥1 year old. It is the second drug to become available in the US for treatment of molluscum contagiosum and the first that can be applied by the patient or caregiver at home; cantharidin 0.7% solution (Ycanth), which is applied by a healthcare professional, was approved earlier for use in patients ≥2 years old.

Imiquimod (i mi kwi' mod) 5% cream (Aldara - 3M Pharmaceuticals) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of external genital and perianal warts (condyloma acuminata). The drug requires a prescription but is applied by the patient. It is the second patient-applied treatment to become available for external genital warts; the first was podofilox (Condylox - Medical Letter, 33:117, 1991).

The FDA has approved cantharidin 0.7% solution (Ycanth – Verrica) for topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in patients ≥2 years old. Ycanth was the first drug to be approved in the US for this indication. A 10.3% gel formulation of berdazimer (Zelsuvmi), a nitric oxide-releasing agent, has also been approved by the FDA for treatment of molluscum contagiosum (in patients ≥1 year old); it will be reviewed in a future issue.

This article includes recommendations for management of most sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV and viral hepatitis. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA (see Table 1).