Dysport  was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in early May (2009) and is  injected at the site of frown wrinkles.  The drug temporarily immobilizes the muscles one uses to frown and can effectively reduce wrinkles.  The FDA approval is based on the results of clinical trials involving 2,900 subjects. These trials showed that 93 to 95 percent of subjects experienced improvement in the appearance of wrinkles within seven days after treatment, and multiple treatments produced effects that lasted for more than 13 months. Dysport (previously known as Reloxin), manufactured by Ipsen Biopharm Ltd. (France) and distributed by Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (Scottsdale, AZ, USA), contains the same active ingredient, botulinum type A, as that of Botox.

I am excited that we have another option for patients. However, Botox has extremely good reliability and is currently considered the “gold standard” for botulinum type A treatments and wrinkle reduction. It is estimated that Dysport will be about 10 to 20 percent less expensive than Botox. The wrinkle treatment should be available for use in the U.S. in the next 30 to 60 days.