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History

Scientists at 3M's pharmaceutical division discovered imiquimod as part of a program to discover inhibitors of herpes simplex virus replication based on a known adenine derivative.: 369–372 3M obtained the first FDA approval for it in 1997 as a treatment for external genital and perianal warts under the brand "Aldara". In 2004, 3M obtained FDA approval to market imiquimod as a treatment for superficial basal cell carcinoma.