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Prescription medicine

Cantharidin

Official FDA data, not advice

Everything here comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): the drug label, the NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, recall reports and the drug shortage list. Each fact shows its source and date.

This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.

In an emergency, call 911. If someone may have taken too much of a medicine, call Poison Help: 1‑800‑222‑1222.

Quick answers

What is Cantharidin used for?
The FDA-approved label (Ycanth, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., November 13, 2024) says: “YCANTH is indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older. YCANTH is indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older.” This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
Does Cantharidin have a boxed warning?
No. None of the 1 FDA labels we found for this medicine has a boxed warning.
Is there a shortage of Cantharidin?
No current shortage is listed by the FDA for the products of this medicine (FDA data from October 30, 2026).
Has Cantharidin been recalled?
No recall linked to the products of this medicine appears in the FDA enforcement reports we use.
Who makes Cantharidin?
1 company lists prescription products of Cantharidin in the FDA NDC Directory, including Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc..

What Cantharidin is used for

Quoted from the “Indications and Usage” section of the FDA-approved label.

YCANTH is indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older. YCANTH is indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older.

— FDA label: Ycanth, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective November 13, 2024. Read the full label on DailyMed →

This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.

Boxed warning

A boxed warning (“black box”) is the FDA’s strongest warning on a drug label, for serious or life-threatening risks.

The label quoted above has no boxed warning.

Forms and how it is given

Dosage formsSolution
RouteTopical
Prescription products2 in the FDA NDC Directory
Brand namesYcanth

Companies that list this medicine

Labelers in the FDA NDC Directory: the company named on the package (maker or distributor), with the number of prescription products.

FDA approval history

  • NDA: New Drug Application: how a new (usually brand-name) medicine is approved.
Brand and biologic applications
ApplicationSponsorApprovedLater changes approved
NDA212905
YCANTH
Verrica PharmsJuly 21, 2023 —

Shortage status

The FDA drug shortage list does not show these products.

FDA Drug Shortages database →

Recalls

No recall linked to these products (by their NDC code) appears in the FDA enforcement reports.

Official identifiers

RxCUI (RxNorm)244521, 2643442
SPL set ID of the quoted label7c9bdeaa-9822-4c69-a719-ea4a8643f59c
FDA labels (SPL)1
FDA applicationsNDA212905
Active ingredients (FDA)CANTHARIDIN

Sources

  1. FDA-approved label on DailyMed (National Library of Medicine) — Ycanth, Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective November 13, 2024; via openFDA, FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  2. NDC Directory (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  3. Drugs@FDA (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  4. Drug recall enforcement reports (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 27, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  5. Drug shortages (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026

openFDA data is provided by the FDA as is; it may be incomplete. Always rely on the label that comes with your medicine. FDA Enforcement Report search →

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