Allergan reveals positive data for Botox as overactive bladder treatment

Allergan has announced that two phase III studies to evaluate Botox as a potential treatment option for idiopathic overactive bladder patients returned encouraging results.

The company said both clinical trials reached their primary endpoints, demonstrating a significant decrease in urinary incontinence episodes compared with placebo.

Due to the results, a licence application has now been submitted to regulatory authorities in the US and Europe seeking approval for the use of Botox as a treatment for overactive bladder in adult patients who do not respond to other therapies.

"We look forward to potentially expanding the use of Botox as a treatment option following approval by the respective regulatory agencies," said Scott Whitcup, Allergan's chief scientific officer and executive vice-president of research and development.

Overactive bladder is a common urological condition that results in a strong, sudden need to urinate due to bladder spasms or contractions.

Botox is most famously used for cosmetic reasons as an anti-wrinkle jab, but was approved for the preventative treatment of chronic migraine by UK regulators in 2010.