Allergan is right to be protective of Botox, says expert

Allergan has good reason to be protective of its botulinum toxin product, it has been suggested.

Writing for the Associated Press, Matthew Perrone discussed the recent approval of Medicis Pharmaceuticals’ Dysport, which is reported to be a competitor for Botox.

He said Allergan is right to defend its product because it accounts for a third of total sales and has become a lucrative “blockbuster” since its approval for cosmetic use.

Chief executive officer David Pyott recently added in an interview that “switching from [Botox] to [Dysport] is like saying ‘I’m going to stop speaking English and start talking to you in German’.”

Mr Perrone remarked that Allergan is much more exposed to effects of the economic downturn as consumers pay for beauty treatments themselves, rather than having them funded by insurers.

Among the conditions treated by the group are glaucoma, blepharospasm, psoriasis and hyperhidrosis.

The company also concentrates on dry eye and frown lines.