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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Mesa, AZ, United States, 10/25/2006 - Dr. Stephen E. Kessler, a Mesa dermatologic surgeon, announced that he has been approached by the makers of Botox® Cosmetic to perform clinical trials of their new anti-wrinkle drug Juvéderm™, a possible competitor to the popular Restylane® treatment.
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Dr. Stephen E. Kessler, D.O., a Mesa dermatologic surgeon, has been approached by Allergan Inc., makers of the popular anti-wrinkle treatment Botox® Cosmetic, to perform clinical trials of their new anti-wrinkle drug Juvéderm™ in advance of its national release in January 2007.
Juvéderm™ is a dermal filler that is especially effective at restoring volume and smoothness to the lips and the folds around the nose and mouth. Already approved by the FDA, Juvéderm™ will begin patient trials on November 1st at select clinical sites throughout the United States. Dr. Kessler was chosen by Allergan to participate in the clinical trials because of his demonstrated excellence in the administration of Botox® Cosmetic. He was among the first dermatologists in Arizona to use Botox® cosmetically, and has been awarded Platinum status by Allergan, having treated over 2,000 patients with Botox® Cosmetic since early 2000.
Juvéderm™ is being touted as a “next generation” dermal filler because of its smooth formulation and long-lasting effects. Unlike other current dermal fillers that use hyaluronic acid, such as Restylane® (1), Juvéderm™ has no visible gel particles in its formulation. Early patient trials have indicated that this may offer smoother skin and more natural looking results. In addition, Juvéderm™ offers the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid available in a dermal filler, which may allow for longer-lasting results.
Dr. Kessler, who has treated over 250 patients with Restylane®, says, “All indications are that Juvéderm™ may solve many of the issues that patients currently have with dermal fillers. Namely, the problems of an uneven feel to the skin, and the lack of a good long term solution.”
Juvéderm™ could spell trouble for the current leader in the dermal filler field, Restylane®, which is a product of Scottsdale-based Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. Restylane® currently dominates the $200 million to $300 million industry, but many analysts predict Juvéderm™ could affect its sales drastically.
"I expect most of the growth over the next few years to come from Juvéderm™, primarily because Allergan will be able to leverage the Botox®-Juvéderm™ combination," said Jose Haresco, analyst for Merriman, Curhan, Ford & Co. "It's the one-stop shopping experience.” (2)
Says Bank of America analyst David Maris, "Based on our discussions with leading cosmetic surgeons/dermatologists, we believe that because of its longer duration, Juvéderm™ is likely to be a better product versus Medicis' Restylane®.” (3)
(1) Source: juvedermcomingsoon.com
(2) Source: money.cnn.com
(3) Source: msnbc.com
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