There is also a lot more competition in the topica

There is also a lot more competition in the topical dermatology space and there are already many treatments for various dermatological conditions. It's not as simple as you think to formulate a topical drug. What dose? How frequently to apply? What constitutes success, given that skin conditions often require subjective judgments as to efficacy?

With oral mucositis, there is NO good treatment and the results are easier to quantify. In my opinion IPIX did exactly the right thing to focus on a drug that would have effectively a monopoly, rather than one that would be similar to many existing drugs.