FDA approves Allergan's eyelash-growth drug

The FDA has approved another indication for Allergan's seven-year old drug Lumigan (bimatoprost). Doctors and patients noticed that the glaucoma treatment had the unusual side effect of lengthening and thickening eyelashes, leading several competitors to market products based on ingredients in Lumigan. Allergan has already sued a number of cosmetics companies for patent infringement. The company will start marketing the treatment in February for $120 for a 30-day supply. It expects sales in excess of $500 million per year.

"Latisse fulfills a significant and previously unmet need in the medical aesthetic marketplace with a product approved by the FDA that increases the growth of eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker," said Scott Whitcup, M.D., Allergan's Executive Vice President of R&D. "As the global leader in medical aesthetics, Latisse exemplifies our continuing commitment to developing innovative treatments that are studied in well-controlled clinical trials, manufactured to pharmaceutical standards, appropriately labeled for use, and available to consumers as a prescription product."

- here's Allergan's release [1]
- read the WSJ report [2]

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Allergan eyes billion-dollar mascara market [3]
Allergan, FDA fight eyelash-mad copycats [4]