HEALTHPOINT Ltd. announces that ACCUZYME® (Papain, Urea) Ointment, its popular pharmaceutical product for wound debriding, is now available in a new pump-spray delivery system, ACCUZYME Spray, on which a patent application is pending.
       ACCUZYME Spray is HEALTHPOINT’s second product to feature the unique, nonaerosol, spray delivery. PANAFIL® (Papain, Urea, Chlorophyllin Copper Complex Sodium) Spray arrived on the market in February, and the wound healing, debriding, and deodorizing product has quickly gained a following.
       Until now, ACCUZYME has been available only as an ointment that requires the use of a manual applicator. The new liquid-spray formulation of ACCUZYME allows for smooth, even application on a wound bed. The spray bottle is easy to maneuver, making it possible for ACCUZYME to reach areas of a wound that otherwise might receive inadequate coverage.
       Healthcare providers in thousands of hospitals, wound-care centers, and long-term care facilities as well as home-health workers and patients themselves have used ACCUZYME (Papain, Urea) Ointment with great success for debridement of acute and chronic wounds, such as pressure, varicose, and diabetic ulcers; postoperative wounds; and burns and other wounds resulting from injury. ACCUZYME Spray, like ACCUZYME Ointment, is indicated for debridement of necrotic tissue and liquefaction of slough in acute and chronic wounds. There are two active ingredients in ACCUZYME Spray: Papain, the proteolytic enzyme from the fruit of carica papaya, is a potent digestant of nonviable protein matter, harmless to viable tissue, and active over a pH range of 3 to 12; and urea, a water-soluble compound, is the major nitrogenous end product of protein metabolism and is a denaturant of proteins. Both work to remove nonviable proteins that impede healing from the wound bed.
       The spray permits the product to be applied to a wound without the direct contact of a cotton swab or tongue depressor, thus minimizing waste, mess, possible infection, and trauma to the patient. Cost savings are achieved through a reduced need for supplies and an increase in the number of applications that can be administered per 33-mL bottle of spray when compared to a 30-gram tube of ointment.
       A controlled study was conducted recently to assess the end-use clinical application of the new spray when compared to the conventional ointment form. Results showed that less time was required for the spray to be administered than for the ointment and that less material was consumed.
       ACCUZYME Spray is available by prescription only in a 33-mL spray bottle. ACCUZYME Ointment, also available by prescription only, comes in 30-gram or 6-gram tubes. ACCUZYME is generally well tolerated and nonirritating. However, upon application, a small number of patients may experience a brief stinging sensation.
       For more information, visit HEALTHPOINT’s website at www.healthpoint.com.