Allergan's Botox, which received a Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approval early this month, will now be readily available to facial aesthetic specialists in the country as the company is planning to market the product through the ethical route.
The drug will also be available with registered medical practitioners who are trained to inject Botox. The company has also commenced advertising directly to consumers to make them aware of the facial lines that can now be treated with Botox.
Botox entered India in 1994 when DCGI cleared it for cerebral palsy clinical trials. The DCGI was also aware that only physicians, plastic surgeons and dermatologists trained at international conventions by Allergan on the use of Botox for cosmetic purposes, could exercise their right to prescribe it for uses outside of the official product label. As and when the DCGI demanded to conduct clinical trials, company promptly conducted it, Tom Albright, vice president, Global Marketing for Botox, Allergan told Pharmabiz in an email interview. "Now with an official DCGI approval, we are gearing up to extend the Botox market," he added.
The company works closely with specialists who treat children with cerebral palsy, adult spasticity, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm. Some of the specialists include Dr. Ashok Johari (Neurosurgeon) in Mumbai, Dr. G P Dureja (pain specialist) in Delhi, Dr. Varadarajulu (Neurologist) in Bangalore, Dr. Jamuna Pai (cosmetologist) in Mumbai and Dr. Rekha Seth (Dermatologist) in Mumbai, stated Albright.
The price of the drug depended on the quantity administered for treatment and hence it was difficult to add a value. However, India is a major market for Botox, stated Albright.
The product is used in US, Canada, Brazil, UK, and Australia for cosmetic reasons. The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 2005 alone used Botox for over 3.3 million procedures. Worldwide, the cosmetic use of Botox accounted for 45 per cent of Allergan's overall Botox sales amounting to $831million in 2005.