Allergan aims to develop Latisse for baldness

When new rumors surfaced of a potential Allergan buyout, we confess we skipped right over "anti-baldness drugs" in the long list of reasons why GlaxoSmithKline or Sanofi-Aventis might be interested in bidding. But during the company's second-quarter earnings call, Allergan officials gave some hints about just what that remedy would be. And lo and behold, they're talking about Brooke Shields' favorite eyelash grower, Latisse.

Yep, the glaucoma drug turned cosmeceutical is now under testing as a baldness-fighter. And as Jim Edwards at BNet Pharma points out, if Latisse (a.k.a Lumigan for glaucoma and bimatoprost generically) proves effective against hair loss, then Katie bar the door. Allergan would have a megablockbuster on its hands.

But there's good news for companies that might want to snap up Allergan before Latisse-for-baldness becomes a sure thing, while its stock price is still on the low side--and cheap, if the baldness use came to be. Allergan is "sort of starting from scratch" on testing the drug for baldness, EVP Scott Whitcup said during the Q2 investor call. In fact, Allergan is scrambling in the early stages. "We are working as quickly as we can to get a formulation, get the preclinical work done and into the clinic," Whitcup said.

- read the BNet piece

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