The new data was presented at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting. This is the first study of its kind to show the benefit of administering a full course of antiviral therapy in a single dose when the virus is most active.
A second study also presented at the meeting showed that Famvir is the first and only antiviral treatment that demonstrated that a single day of therapy is effective in the treatment of recurrent genital herpes.
Based on these findings, Novartis Pharmaceuticals filed a supplemental new drug application with the FDA for a single-dose Famvir treatment indication for recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores) in immunocompetent patients and a single-day Famvir treatment indication for immunocompetent patients with recurrent genital herpes in autumn 2005.
“We are committed to helping herpes sufferers manage this chronic, recurring condition,” said Dr Kamal Hamed, senior clinical research physician at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. “The results of these studies revealed Famvir to be an effective, convenient treatment option that helps lessen or reduce the duration of cold sore and genital herpes outbreaks.”