Los Angeles, CA — April 2025 — After more than two decades of stagnant innovation in cold sore treatment, MARK Los Angeles is introducing a new solution that blends pharmaceutical science with plant-based bioactives to deliver meaningful results for people living with HSV-1.

The new Lip Rescue Serum and Lip Health Balm are powered by XDF™ (Transdermal Flavosomes), a novel skin delivery technology developed by MARK Los Angeles founder and pharmaceutical scientist Mark Menning, PhD. This marks the first cold sore treatment to harness five well researched flavonoids—EGCG, quercetin, baicalein, luteolin, and apigenin—each shown to inhibit viral replication at different points in HSV-1’s lifecycle.

“We’re not repackaging an old remedy—we’ve designed a system to outsmart the virus,” says Menning, who led development on multiple FDA-approved antivirals for the treatment of HIV/AIDS before launching MARK Los Angeles.

In a consumer study, 100% of participants experienced faster healing with less severe symptoms, and 20% reported never developing a cold sore when the product was applied at the first sign of tingling. The dual-action system supports both active treatment and daily prevention, with anti-inflammatory benefits of flavonoids and barrier-repairing ingredients like jojoba oil, olive waxes, and shea butter.

MARK Los Angeles is redefining the lip care category by elevating plant actives from “natural remedy” status to research backed natural antivirals, unlocked with XDF—without the side effects of traditional pharmaceuticals.

The products are now available at marklosangeles.com.

For press inquiries, samples, or expert commentary from Dr. Menning, contact:

m.la@marklosangeles.com