Qutenza now available as shingles treatment

SAN MATEO, Calif. A patch for treating pain associated with shingles made by NeurogesX now is available, the drug maker announced Monday.

NeurogesX received Food and Drug Administration approval in November for Qutenza (capsaicin). The drug is used to treat postherpetic neuralgia, or nerve pain that can occur after shingles, a skin condition that often strikes people who have had chickenpox.

“PHN can be an excruciatingly painful condition that can greatly affect many aspects of a person’s daily living,” Lifetree Clinical Research medical director Lynn Webster said. “Despite the current availability of a variety of pain medications, undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness and interactions with other drugs, often limit their use.”