‘Reloxin’ Could Compete With Botox in U.S. Market

Featured in the latest issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery is a medical study on the safety of the wrinkle relaxing injectable, Reloxin.  The new drug, which is expected to be an alternative to Botox, was evaluated for its use on moderate to severe forehead wrinkles (or glabeller lines).  The results of the study appear optimistic.

While FDA approval has not yet been granted for Reloxin to be sold in the U.S., Medicis Pharmaceutical expects FDA clearance later this year.  They’re introducing Reloxin with the hope that it will be the first direct competitor to Botox, in a market that helped Allergan Inc. net $1.3 billion last year with the wrinkle relaxing drug.

A California dermatologist who was involved in the study commented to Bloomberg news, saying “the side effects are the same as Botox” and “many of our patients liked it even better.”

The active ingredients of Reloxin and Botox are very similar; they each contain a particular ‘botulinum toxin’ that has been proven to relax the muscles that cause wrinkles in the face.

While Reloxin has actually been sold overseas under the name ‘Dysport’ for about 15 years, Botox has still managed to claim over 80 percent of the worldwide market for the neurotoxin.  One market analyst speculates that “Reloxin may be priced 15 percent lower than Botox” which could allow it to take a significant share of that market.