June 17, 2009 (FinancialWire) — Medicis (NYSE: MRX) has begun shipment to physicians of Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) for the treatment of glabellar lines. Dysport is an acetylcholine release inhibitor and a neuromuscular blocking agent, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late April 2009.

The approval included two separate indications, the treatment of cervical dystonia in adults to reduce the severity of abnormal head position and neck pain, and the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults younger than 65 years of age. Medicis has rights to market Dysport in the United States for the aesthetic indication (glabellar lines).

“We are pleased to be introducing into the U.S. what we believe may be the most important launch in the aesthetic marketplace since Restylane(R),” said Jonah Shacknai, chairman and chief executive officer of Medicis. “We have been very encouraged by the initial response from physicians’ preorders, and are eager to provide them with a worthy competitor in this multi-million dollar market. Additionally, we are grateful to our partners at Ipsen for their collaborative efforts in making this launch possible.”

McKesson is the U.S. distributor of Dysport for glabellar lines. Physicians in the U.S. may place orders by calling McKesson directly at 1-877-520-0500.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, over 10 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2008, 83% of which represented nonsurgical procedures. Injections of botulinum toxin type A have been the number one nonsurgical cosmetic procedure for the past five years, with over 2.4 million total procedures in 2008 alone.(1) The U.S. aesthetic market for botulinum toxin type A is estimated to be approximately $300 million to $400 million.(2)

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