FDA OKs Natroba

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for head lice, the agency said Tuesday.

The FDA approved Natroba (spinosad) topical suspension, made by ParaPro, a privately owned drug company based in Carmel, Ind. The drug is used to treat head lice infestation in patients ages 4 years and older.

“Natroba provides another option for the topical treatment of head lice infestations, which are especially prevalent in the pediatric population,” FDA Office of Drug Evaluation III director Julie Beitz said. “Head lice is a common problem among schoolchildren in the United States.”