Compounded Amlexanox

Ranges come from the price lists pharmacies in our network share with us for quoting, limited to pharmacies that can take your request, and they are not a quote. Shipping, dispensing fees and the exact prescription change the price; your quotes carry the real numbers and the pharmacy behind each one.

Aphthasol (amlexanox 5% oral paste) was the only FDA-approved product containing amlexanox and was discontinued in the United States. No generic version was ever approved. For patients whose providers want to prescribe amlexanox for recurrent canker sores, oral lichen planus, or Behçet's-related oral ulcers, a compounding pharmacy is the only legal domestic source.

The active ingredient is still manufactured as a pharmaceutical-grade API and can be compounded under Section 503A rules with a valid prescription from a licensed U.S. dentist, oral surgeon, or physician.

Most compounding pharmacies prepare amlexanox as a 5% oral paste (matching the original Aphthasol strength) or as a 2% mouth rinse for patients with widespread oral involvement. Custom strengths between 2% and 5%, and combination formulations with anesthetics like lidocaine, are available on request.

Ask your prescriber whether paste or rinse is more appropriate for your ulcer pattern — paste works well for one or two discrete ulcers, while rinse is better for multiple simultaneous lesions.

The 5% paste is typically applied four times daily — after each meal and at bedtime — directly on each ulcer for four to six weeks, or until the ulcer heals. Most patients notice pain reduction within two to three days and full ulcer healing within seven to fourteen days per outbreak.

The 2% rinse is swished for 30 seconds, two to four times daily, and suits patients with multiple ulcers better than the paste. Avoid eating or drinking for at least 30 minutes after either formulation.

Because amlexanox API is relatively expensive and the compound is specialty-tier, most pharmacies price a 5-gram tube of 5% oral paste in the $60–$150 range depending on volume, shipping, and strength. Prices for the same prescription can differ widely between pharmacies.

Getting quotes from multiple licensed compounding pharmacies before filling shows you that difference up front, which matters over a multi-month treatment course.

Prices for the same compounded prescription often differ widely between pharmacies — on almost half of the requests we compared (all medications combined), the highest quote was at least double the lowest. Factors that affect pricing include the pharmacy’s location, their ingredient sourcing, and compounding volume.

By comparing quotes from multiple licensed pharmacies, you can find the best combination of price, quality, and convenience without spending hours making phone calls.