The San Diego biotech says phase-three trials of its topical pain rub show it could be a safer alternative to pain pills like Tylenol and ibuprofen.
The pain rub, called Ketotransdel, is made by Transdel Pharmaceuticals. Trial results showed the rub worked better than a placebo when patients rated their pain before and after treatment. Ketotransdel is a cream that's applied to the skin to treat pain from injuries like sprained ankles and pulled muscles. Its active ingredient is ketoprofen, a chemical cousin of ibuprofen, which is absorbed by the muscles. Transdel's CEO is Juliet Singh. She says her pain rub is safer than pain pills, which can cause liver damage and stomach problems, because it creates lower drug concentrations in the patient's blood system. Ketotransdel did fall short on one testing guideline during clinical trials, though company officials blamed that on poor test protocols. Singh says her company will seek FDA approval for its topical pain rub.
