A new topical ointment is being developed for the treatment of mildly infected foot ulcers and has just entered the final stage of clinical trials. The new cream, Locilex, is being developed by Dipexium and is derived from the skin of the African clawed frog. While that may sound un-appealing, the antimicrobial peptides that are synthesized from the frog’s skin have proven very effective in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. If approved, the cream will become the first topical antibiotic cream approved for treating these types of hard-to-fight foot infections.
At this time, approximately 1.3 million American patients suffer from a diabetic foot infection each year; for those whose infections cannot be cured, ulcers can worsen and even result in the loss of the limb. If this new topical ointment is approved, it can be a good weapon in the arsenal of tools we use to keep diabetic patients’ feet healthy.
Our pratice will be watching this cream’s development closely, of course, but we hope to never have to prescribe it for any of our patients. With proper foot care and regular checkups with your podiatrist, diabetic patients can usually avoid the development of ulcers and other foot infections.
If you have diabetes in the Cleveland area, please make an appointment with 1 of our 3 offices to maintain diabetic foot health and prevent complications. We are here to help!!!