Permethrin

Summary

Permethrin (CHEMBL1525) is an approved small-molecule pyrethroid ester insecticide (ATC P03AC04); indicated across 3 conditions including parasitic infectious disease and lyme disease.

At a glance

• Status: Approved (max clinical phase 4)
• Modality: Small molecule
• ATC class: P03AC04 (+1 more)
• Indications: 3 conditions
• Clinical trials: 25
• Chemistry: 391.3 Da · C21H20Cl2O3

Identifiers

Drug identity and classification

Field	Value
ChEMBL ID	CHEMBL1525
Name	Permethrin
Type	Small molecule
Max phase	4
FDA approved	yes
PubChem CID	40326
ChEBI	CHEBI:34911
ATC	P03AC04, P03AC54
Molecular formula	C21H20Cl2O3
Molecular weight	391.3
InChIKey	RLLPVAHGXHCWKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES: CC1(C(C1C(=O)OCC2=CC(=CC=C2)OC3=CC=CC=C3)C=C(Cl)Cl)C

IUPAC name: (3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl 3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate

ChEBI definition: A cyclopropanecarboxylate ester in which the esterifying alcohol is 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol and the cyclopropane ring is substituted with a 2,2-dichlorovinyl group and with gem-dimethyl groups.

Pharmacological roles (ChEBI): pyrethroid ester insecticide, agrochemical, ectoparasiticide, scabicide.

Also known as: Activyl tick plus, Elimite, Lyclear, Lythrin, Nix, NSC-760105, Permethrin, Permethrin component of vectra 3d, Permethrine, Permetrina, permethrin, SID29215320

Patent coverage: 16,773 distinct patent families (47,289 SureChEMBL compound mentions), from 2 matched compound structure(s). One matched structure accounts for 47,123 (100%) of the total. Mentions count patents naming the compound (not distinct inventions), so promiscuous / reference molecules inflate the mention figure — families are the dedup metric.

Targets

Targets

Broader ChEMBL bioactivity targets: 6 (assay-derived). Sample: Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1, Lethal(3)malignant brain tumor-like protein 1, Prelamin-A/C, Alpha-2A adrenergic receptor, Cannabinoid receptor 1, Serine-protein kinase ATM.

Bioactivity

ChEMBL activities: 2 potent at pChembl ≥ 5 of 6 total. Top 30 by potency (10 = 0.1 nM, 6 = 1 µM):

Target	pChembl	Type	Value	Unit	Activity ID
TDP1	5.25	Potency	5623	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_3927768
ADRA2A	5.01	AC50	9700	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_25220486

Target pathways

No target-pathway data for this drug (no mapped target genes).

Indications & clinical

Indications

3 indications (1 at ChEMBL trial phase 4). Phase below is the highest clinical-trial phase recorded for this drug against each disease — not the molecule’s overall approval status (that is in the Summary).

Indication	Trial phase	MONDO	EFO
parasitic infectious disease	4	MONDO:0005135	EFO:0001067
Lyme disease	3	MONDO:0019632	EFO:0008510
lice infestation	3	MONDO:0003472	MONDO:0003472

Clinical trials

Total trials: 25.

Phase distribution

Phase	Trials
PHASE3	13
Not specified	4
PHASE4	3
PHASE1	3
PHASE2	1
EARLY_PHASE1	1

Top trials by phase / activity

NCT	Phase	Status	Title
NCT02775617	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Azithromycin - Ivermectin Mass Drug Administration for Skin Disease
NCT03105505	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	The Efficacy of Permethrin 5%, Fusidic Acid 1% and Synthomycine 5% for Demodex - Blepharitis
NCT05819983	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Ivermectin/ Permethrin for Scabies
NCT00244439	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Malathion Formulation in the Treatment of Head Lice
NCT00545168	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Safety and Efficacy Study of NatrOVA Creme Rinse - 1% and NIX Creme Rinse in Subjects 6 Months or Older With Head Lice
NCT00545753	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Safety and Efficacy Study of NatrOVA Creme Rinse - 1% and NIX Creme Rinse in Subjects 6 Months or Older With Head Lice
NCT00927472	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of a Novel Malathion Formulation in Patients 2 Years and Older With Head Lice
NCT00958139	PHASE3	TERMINATED	Passive Prophylaxis of Lyme Disease Using Permethrin Treated Clothes
NCT00963508	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of a Novel Malathion Formulation in Patients 2 Years and Older With Head Lice
NCT02407782	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Oral Ivermectin Versus Topical Permethrin to Treat Scabies in Children and Adults
NCT02500524	PHASE3	TERMINATED	Cocamide DEA vs Permethrin for Head Lice
NCT02572986	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study to Evaluate the Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic Permethrin Cream 5% to Elimite® in the Treatment of Scabies
NCT02978508	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Bio-equivalence Study Comparing Permethrin Cream, 5% With Elimite in Patients With Active Scabies.
NCT03236168	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Impact of Community Scabies Treatment on Head Lice Prevalence in the Solomon Islands
NCT04814511	PHASE3	UNKNOWN	Escalated Therapy of Scabies With INFECTOSCAB 5% (Permethrin)
NCT06396507	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Sulfur vs. Different Regimes of Permethrin for Scabies
NCT04332068	PHASE2	COMPLETED	Ivermectin Safety in Small Children
NCT05362513	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Comparative Study Between Topical Permethrin 5% and Oral Ivermectin for the Treatment of Scabies
NCT05643820	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Comparison of Oral Ivermectin and Permethrin 5% Lotion in Treatment of Pediculosis Capitis
NCT05862701	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Comparison of Topical 5% Permethrin and Topical 10% Sulfur in the Treatment of Scabies
NCT07247630	EARLY_PHASE1	NOT_YET_RECRUITING	Comparison of Permethrin-Based Treatment Strategies Against Scabies in Infants and Young Children
NCT00572884	Not specified	COMPLETED	Metabolism of the Insecticide Permethrin
NCT00604084	Not specified	COMPLETED	Veron Scabies Education and Eradication Program
NCT01287663	Not specified	TERMINATED	Effectiveness of Permethrin Impregnated Underwear in Preventing Louse Proliferation in Infected Homeless
NCT01563640	Not specified	TERMINATED	Insecticidal School Uniforms for Dengue Prevention in Thailand

Clinical evidence (CIViC)

No CIViC predictive evidence (expected for non-precision-medicine drugs).

Pharmacology

Pharmacogenomics

No CPIC/DPWG dosing guideline or drug-level clinical/variant annotations in PharmGKB for this molecule.

Related molecules

Related molecules

No competitor molecules sharing a primary target (ChEMBL phase ≥2 or PubChem drug-class).