The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the over-the-counter sale of a wound spray aimed at stopping New World screwworm before it can take hold in livestock, captive animals, and wildlife across the country.
The product, CLiK Extra (dicyclanil topical suspension), received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allowing its use on or around wounds in a wide array of species: cattle, sheep, goats, swine, camelids such as camels, llamas, and alpacas, and a range of captive and wild animals including cervids, American bison, bighorn sheep, and Sonoran pronghorn. It is intended for animals at the time wounds arise, whether from injury, birth, or common husbandry and surgical procedures such as dehorning, ear tagging, castration, tail docking, and shearing.
CLiK Extra is not a pesticide that kills larvae on contact. Instead, it functions as an insect growth regulator, interfering with the way larvae develop and breaking the parasite’s lifecycle before it can damage tissue in the host animal. The product is not approved or conditionally approved by the FDA for any indication.
New World screwworm is a parasitic fly larva that burrows into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing myiasis that can be disfiguring and fatal if untreated. The authorization comes as federal agencies seek to contain the parasite’s spread and protect both agricultural and wildlife populations.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are giving American farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, and wildlife managers the tools they need to fight back,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, J.D. “Today’s emergency use authorization provides a new tool for preventing the spread of New World screwworm infestations, and we will continue to work to combat this threatening pest.”
Timothy Schell, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said the scope of the authorization reflects the parasite’s reach. “The FDA recognizes that the impact of New World screwworm extends beyond the farm gate,” he said. “Authorizing this product for captive and captured wildlife species, including bighorn sheep, Sonoran pronghorn, American bison, and cervids like deer and elk, is about protecting these animals and helping ensure they do not contribute to the spread of NWS in the United States.”
The agency said the totality of available scientific evidence supports a reasonable belief that CLiK Extra may be effective when used as directed, and that its benefits outweigh its risks. If a wound is already infested, or if infestation develops after the product is applied, the FDA advises consulting a veterinarian rather than relying on the spray. The EUA will remain in effect until it is revoked or the HHS Secretary ends the underlying public health emergency declaration. Detailed product information, including food safety guidance, is available in the EUA Fact Sheet. CLiK Extra is sponsored by Elanco US Inc., based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Source: FDA Press Announcement
