Recently, the lidocaine gel patch developed by Jiudian Pharmaceuticals has been approved for market by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and has passed the generic drug quality and efficacy consistency evaluation. As a Class B national medical insurance drug, this lidocaine cataplasm is the only first-line topical medication for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in China, offering patients a safer, more convenient, and highly effective analgesic option.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common complication of shingles, is characterized by severe, persistent pain—often described as burning, stabbing, or electric shock-like—that can last for months or even years after the skin lesions heal. Statistics show that over 900,000 new cases of shingles occur annually in China among people aged 50 and above, with nearly 30% progressing to PHN. The incidence of PHN rises significantly with age. Previously, first-line PHN treatment in China relied on oral medications (e.g., pregabalin, gabapentin, and tricyclic antidepressants), but systemic side effects and drug interactions often reduced patient compliance, highlighting the need for better alternatives.

The lidocaine gel patch, recommended as a first-line PHN treatment by multiple international guidelines, contains 5% lidocaine in a hydrophilic gel formulation that targets pain sites directly. It acts rapidly with minimal systemic absorption, significantly reducing the risk of systemic side effects. Prior to this approval, China lacked a topical first-line therapy for PHN. The launch of this lidocaine cataplasm fills this critical gap, providing a superior treatment option.

Jiudian Pharmaceuticals already markets a portfolio of topical analgesics, including ketoprofen gel patch, loxoprofen sodium gel patch, anti-inflammatory pain-relief gel patches, ketoprofen gels, and lidocaine/prilocaine creams. The successful launch of the lidocaine cataplasm not only expands the company’s product line in topical pain management but also strengthens its leadership in transdermal drug delivery.