Safety and Efficacy of Topical Cantharidin for the Treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum, Phase 2

Cantharidin is cited in the dermatology and pediatric literature as a valuable treatment option. Treatment is often available in private practice offices, where a prescribing physician may offer a non-FDA approved treatment on an individualized basis. The situation is different in many hospital and academic settings, such as our own for example, where the formulary is defined through a FDA-approved indication. The absence of an indication precludes its addition to many hospital formularies, thus limiting the options available to a prescribing physician and denying patient access to a treatment offered in the private practice setting. An indication and formulary status require controlled clinical trials on the safety and efficacy of cantharidin in MC. The objective of this trial is to see if this commercially-viable cantharidin formulation has a comparable safety and efficacy profile as formulations previously studied under conditions which most closely match the what has been historically done in the clinic.