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Reckitt, a home to the world's best-loved and trusted hygiene and health brands, announced a milestone for the cold and flu category and the company: Mucinex 12HR Cold & Fever Multi-Symptom is the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved over-the-counter (OTC) innovation in the cold and flu category in 14 years, and the first New Drug Application (NDA) under the Reckitt name to receive FDA approval. Developed to align with the way consumers choose to manage cold and flu symptoms, this achievement reflects more than a decade of Reckitt’s scientific research, development, clinical evaluation and regulatory collaboration.
The approval comes at a time when cold and flu place an increasingly significant burden on Americans, driving millions of illnesses, healthcare visits and missed days of work and school each year. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2024-25 flu season resulted in an estimated 51 million illnesses, while the 2025-26 season saw a surge in flu cases across the country that coincided with an earlier flu season. As people continue to rely on OTC medicines as a first line of self-care, expanding access to new innovations that provide safe, effective and convenient symptom relief are more important than ever.
“This milestone reinforces Reckitt’s commitment to delivering trusted, science-backed solutions that meet everyday health needs and truly fit how Americans live. By advancing the cold and flu category with longer-lasting, 12-hour symptom relief, we are not just expanding consumer choice and access, we are easing the care burden on families and empowering people to stay focused on their daily lives,” said Jérôme Lemaire, president, Reckitt North America.
Cold and flu symptoms are largely driven by the body’s inflammatory response to infection. Recognizing the role that inflammatory processes play in many cold and flu symptoms, Mucinex 12HR Cold & Fever Multi-Symptom was developed to provide long-lasting multi-symptom relief. As the first product in its category to combine guaifenesin, dextromethorphan HBr, and naproxen sodium — an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) — in a bilayer tablet, it delivers immediate and extended release of active ingredients providing symptom relief that lasts up to three times longer than most cold and flu medications.
“True innovation starts with understanding consumer needs and applying science to solve them. This approval is the culmination of more than a decade of research and development to create a first-of-its-kind formulation that delivers long-lasting relief from multiple cold and flu symptoms,” Angela Naef, Ph.D., chief r&d officer, Reckitt.
Mucinex 12HR Cold & Fever Multi-Symptom is a first-of-its kind OTC medication designed to address the #1 unmet need in the cold and flu category—long-lasting symptom relief* — delivering up to 12 hours of relief in just one dose. Featuring a patented bi-layer tablet, Mucinex 12HR Cold & Fever Multi-Symptom combines three active ingredients for effective and convenient symptom relief: guaifenesin (expectorant), dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant), and naproxen sodium (NSAID for fever and pain).
Reckitt launched Mucinex 12HR Cold & Fever Multi-Symptom in 2026, expanding the brand’s portfolio of 12-hour products that consumers have trusted for more than 20 years to thin and loosen excess mucus, relieve chest congestion, and control coughing. Backed by more than a decade of scientific research and development, this milestone innovation reflects Reckitt’s commitment to advancing science-backed solutions that address meaningful needs in the cold and flu category.
Reckitt make the products people trust to care for the ones they love. The company is home to some of the world’s best-loved consumer health and hygiene brands, including Dettol, Durex, Finish, Gaviscon, Harpic, Lysol, Mucinex, Nurofen, Strepsils, Vanish and Veet. Consumers are at the heart of everything we do. By creating innovative, science-backed solutions, the company support people every day to live healthier lives.
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