Aldara is the brand name for imiquimod, a topical medication used to treat various skin disorders such as the human papilloma virus (HPV), other warts, sores and lesions, and even some kinds of skin cancers. Dermatologists favor it because it allows for treatment of those disorders without surgery or other procedures, but certain drawbacks with the product have caused researchers to develop superior alternatives.
Resiquimod
Aldara has a skin-cancer cure rate of 80 to 85 percent, as opposed to 90 to 98 percent for excision or surgery. For this reason, it is often considered a backup treatment. But dermatologists are hoping that resiquimod, which is under development by 3M Pharmaceuticals, will prove a more powerful and effective means of treatment.
PEP005 gel
This gel is under development by the pharmaceutical company Peplin. It comes from the plant euphorbia peplus, which has been used for ages to treat skin lesions. It kills cells quickly, causing tumor cells to split apart, then causes an immune response that targets the tumor cells specifically.
Peplin is preparing to file for a new drug application by mid-2010.
Voltaren
Voltaren is the brand name for diclofenac, a pain reliever generally used for arthritis patients. But it may have some previously untapped uses for sufferers of actinic keratoses, scaly bumps on the skin.
More about Aldara and surgery/freezing
These pharmaceutical possiblities have dermatologists excited about new treatments. But in the mean time, Aldara remains a prescription of choice, despite having a few drawbacks. In addition to its imperfect cure rate, the drug has also been shown to produce "false negatives"; in short, the lesions or warts go away but have not been totally eliminated.
For warts and other , minor outpatient surgery or freezing remains a common option.
Tags: brand name, cure rate, skin disorders, surgery freezing, tumor cells, under development