clindagel
Clindagel (Clindamycin Phosphate) is a lincosamide antibacterial used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Actinomycetales Infections, Bacteroides Infections, Pneumocystis Pneumonia.
Clindamycin Phosphate · by Bausch
Available as a generic: Clindamycin Phosphate
⚠ FDA reports a current shortage of the injection form — availability differs between suppliers — see drug shortages →Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Clindamycin Phosphate
- Drug class
- Lincosamide Antibacterial
- Form
- Topical
- Strength
- Clindamycin Phosphate EQ 1% Base
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Brand-name
- Manufacturer
- Bausch
- Half-life
- about 2.4 hours (how long it stays in your system)
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$0.18 per gm — not your price
- FDA application
- NDA050782
What is Clindagel?
From the FDA label:Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel, 1%, a topical antibiotic, contains clindamycin phosphate, USP, at a concentration equivalent to 10 mg clindamycin per gram in a gel vehicle consisting of carbomer 941, methylparaben, polyethylene glycol 400, propylene glycol, purified water, and sodium hydroxide. Chemically, clindamycin phosphate is a water-soluble ester of the semi-synthetic antibiotic produced by a 7 (S)-chlorosubstitution of the 7 (R)-hydroxyl group of the parent antibiotic, lincomycin, and has the structural formula represented below: The chemical name for clindamycin phosphate is methyl 7-chloro-6,7,8-trideoxy-6-(1-methyl- trans -4-propyl-L-2-pyrrolidinecarboxamido)-1-thio-L- threo -α-D- galacto -octopyranoside 2-(dihydrogen phosphate). clindagel-01
How to use
Apply a thin film of Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel once daily to the skin where acne lesions appear. Use enough to cover the entire affected area lightly. Keep container tightly closed.
Side effects
In the one well-controlled clinical study comparing Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel and its vehicle, the incidence of skin and appendages adverse events occurring in ≥1% of the patients in either group is presented in the following table: Number (%) of Patients Body System/Adverse Event Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel QD N=168 Vehicle Gel QD N=84 Skin and Appendages Disorders • Dermatitis 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) • Dermatitis contact 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) • Dermatitis fungal 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) • Folliculitis 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) • Photosensitivity reaction 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) • Pruritus 1 (0.6) 1 (1.2) • Rash erythematous 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) • Skin dry 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) • Peeling 1 (0.6) 0 (0.0) Orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been associated with severe colitis, which may end fatally. Cases of diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported as adverse reactions in patients treated with oral and parenteral formulations of clindamycin and rarely with topical clindamycin (see WARNINGS ). Abdominal pain and gastrointestinal disturbances, as well as gram-negative folliculitis, have also been reported in association with the use of topical formulations of clindamycin. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Oceanside Pharmaceuticals at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Warnings
Important safety information
Orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been associated with severe colitis, which may result in patient death. Use of the topical formulation of clindamycin results in absorption of the antibiotic from the skin surface. Diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported with the use of topical and systemic clindamycin. Studies indicate a toxin(s) produced by Clostridia is one primary cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. The colitis is usually characterized by severe persistent diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps and may be associated with the passage of blood and mucus. Endoscopic examination may reveal pseudomembranous colitis. Stool culture for Clostridium difficile and stool assay for C. difficile toxin may be helpful diagnostically. When significant diarrhea occurs, the drug should be discontinued. Large bowel endoscopy should be considered to establish a definitive diagnosis in cases of severe diarrhea. Antiperistaltic agents, such as opiates and diphenoxylate with atropine, may prolong and/or worsen the condition. Diarrhea, colitis, and pseudomembranous colitis have been observed to begin up to several weeks following cessation of oral and parenteral therapy with clindamycin.
Who should not take Clindagel
Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel is contraindicated in individuals with a history of hypersensitivity to preparations containing clindamycin or lincomycin, a history of regional enteritis or ulcerative colitis, or a history of antibiotic-associated colitis.
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
Topically applied Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel may be absorbed in sufficient amounts to produce systemic effects (see WARNINGS ).
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
How long does Clindamycin Phosphate stay in your body?
The elimination half-life of clindamycin phosphate is about 2.4 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. The label gives an average biological (elimination) half-life of 2.4 hours for oral clindamycin hydrochloride, the active form. It runs slightly longer in older adults (about 4.0 hours, range 3.4–5.1, vs 3.2 hours, range 2.1–4.2, in younger adults) and is increased slightly in people with markedly reduced kidney or liver function. Clindamycin palmitate (oral pediatric solution) and clindamycin phosphate (injection) are inactive prodrugs that are hydrolyzed in the body to this same active clindamycin. Half-life reflects how fast the drug leaves the blood, not how long a drug test can detect it.
This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: CLEOCIN HYDROCHLORIDE (clindamycin hydrochloride) capsule — FDA label, DailyMed.
Drug class
How this class works, per Clindamycin - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
- acne vulgaris
- actinomycetales infections
- bacteroides infections
- pneumocystis pneumonia
- staphylococcal infections
- streptococcal infections
See how Clindagel ranks — best-rated lincosamide antibacterial for:
Dosage forms
Topical
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does Clindagel treat?
- Clindagel (Clindamycin Phosphate) may be used to treat acne vulgaris, actinomycetales infections, bacteroides infections, pneumocystis pneumonia, staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How does Clindagel work?
- Clindagel is a lincosamide antibacterial. Lincosamides such as clindamycin attach to the bacterial ribosome, the cell's protein-building machine, and stop it from linking amino acids together. Because the bacteria can no longer make the proteins they need, their growth is halted or, depending on the organism and dose, they are killed.
- How much does Clindagel cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.18 per gm, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Clindagel?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Clindagel. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Clindagel?
- Clindagel is marketed by Bausch. You can see Bausch's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Clindagel a brand-name or generic drug?
- Clindagel is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Clindamycin Phosphate. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Clindamycin Phosphate are available — ask your pharmacist.
- Is Clindagel available over the counter?
- No. Clindagel is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Clindagel come in?
- Clindagel is currently marketed as topical, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is Clindagel?
- Clindagel is classified as lincosamide antibacterial, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is Clindagel FDA-registered?
- Clindagel is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA050782. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Clindagel safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Clindagel. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Clindagel?
- Clindagel's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: In the one well-controlled clinical study comparing Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Gel and its vehicle, the incidence of skin and appendages adverse events occurring in ≥1% of the patients in either group is presented in the following table: Number (%) of Patients Body System/Adverse Event Clindamyci… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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