Reloxin: Botox's Worst Nightmare - Competition!

Better than Botox!

Well, you've seen that advertisement before, and you've got to know that no cream can live up to that kind of marketing hype.

But did you know that the makers of Botox are now truly scared?  A European muscle relaxant called Reloxin was approved by the FDA on April 30, 2009.  Reloxin is not necessarily better than Botox, but is probably equivalent.

Whether U.S. plastic surgeons will readily embrace this new and slightly unfamiliar European cousin remains to be seen.  However, there is a big incentive:  Reloxin will almost certainly be much cheaper than Botox.

How did Botox become the most popular cosmetic procedure--by far--in the USA?

• Consistent, reproducible wrinkle reduction, especially around the eyes
• An excellent record of patient safety with very few side effects
• Aggressive marketing, with a lot of name-dropping in the popular media

What is Reloxin?

• Virtually the same chemical composition as Botox
• In Europe, popular for the same facial wrinkles as Botox
• Also, a very good safety record--equivalent to Botox's safety

For years, Reloxin has been used safely and effectively in Europe, where it has been marketed as Dysport.  Moreover, recent head-to-head tests against Botox--performed here in the U.S.A.--have already confirmed Reloxin's efficacy.

Having digested many of these research studies, I must say that I am excited....

• In all studies, Reloxin has worked (just like Botox)!
• And I have identified no significant red flags for Reloxin.  No allergies.  No untoward infections.  (Same is true for Botox.  Both appear to be very safe medications.)
• Reloxin may "spread" more; it may not stay put as much as Botox.  This may be either a good or bad thing.  When treating a large area like the forehead, increased "spread" of the muscle relaxant may enable a plastic surgeon to avoid extra "needle pokes."  On the other hand, if a plastic surgeon is trying to relax only a very specific muscle without affecting its neighbors, then Reloxin's spread may be a handicap.
• In some studies, Reloxin has not lasted as long as Botox.  (And the biggest downside to Botox is that it lasts only 3-4 months.)
• In defense of Reloxin, some of these length-of-efficacy comparisons might not have been fair.  Dosing is different for Reloxin and Botox.  If a patient has appreciated the wrinkle-removing effects of 20 units of Botox between her eyebrows, then an equivalent dose of Reloxin is almost certainly not 20 units.  It may actually be more like 80 units.

Will that 80 units of Reloxin then cost 4 times as much as 20 units of Botox?  Almost certainly NOT!  In the United Kingdom, 100 units of Botox sells for the equivalent of US$525.  However, the cost of a 500-unit vial of Dysport/Reloxin is just US$300.

I know that you are doing the math in your head right now....  When considering equivalent dosages, the British are saving 55% when purchasing Dysport/Reloxin instead of Botox!

Also, figure that most of us American Board Certified Plastic Surgeons have grown pretty comfortable with Botox.  Why would we subject our patients to "greater spread" and to unfamiliar unit dosages unless there is some pretty competitive pricing on Reloxin?

And will the manufacturers of Botox, then, have to lower their prices?

Capitalism in action!  This time, the free market is on our side.

Well, you've seen that advertisement before, and you've got to know that no cream can live up to that kind of marketing hype.

But did you know that the makers of Botox are now truly scared?  A European muscle relaxant called Reloxin was approved by the FDA on April 30, 2009.  Reloxin is not necessarily better than Botox, but is probably equivalent.

Whether U.S. plastic surgeons will readily embrace this new and slightly unfamiliar European cousin remains to be seen.  However, there is a big incentive:  Reloxin will almost certainly be much cheaper than Botox.

How did Botox become the most popular cosmetic procedure--by far--in the USA?

For years, Reloxin has been used safely and effectively in Europe, where it has been marketed as Dysport.  Moreover, recent head-to-head tests against Botox--performed here in the U.S.A.--have already confirmed Reloxin's efficacy.

Having digested many of these research studies, I must say that I am excited....

• In all studies, Reloxin has worked (just like Botox)!
• And I have identified no significant red flags for Reloxin.  No allergies.  No untoward infections.  (Same is true for Botox.  Both appear to be very safe medications.)
• Reloxin may "spread" more; it may not stay put as much as Botox.  This may be either a good or bad thing.  When treating a large area like the forehead, increased "spread" of the muscle relaxant may enable a plastic surgeon to avoid extra "needle pokes."  On the other hand, if a plastic surgeon is trying to relax only a very specific muscle without affecting its neighbors, then Reloxin's spread may be a handicap.
• In some studies, Reloxin has not lasted as long as Botox.  (And the biggest downside to Botox is that it lasts only 3-4 months.)
• In defense of Reloxin, some of these length-of-efficacy comparisons might not have been fair.  Dosing is different for Reloxin and Botox.  If a patient has appreciated the wrinkle-removing effects of 20 units of Botox between her eyebrows, then an equivalent dose of Reloxin is almost certainly not 20 units.  It may actually be more like 80 units.

Will that 80 units of Reloxin then cost 4 times as much as 20 units of Botox?  Almost certainly NOT!  In the United Kingdom, 100 units of Botox sells for the equivalent of US$525.  However, the cost of a 500-unit vial of Dysport/Reloxin is just US$300.

I know that you are doing the math in your head right now....  When considering equivalent dosages, the British are saving 55% when purchasing Dysport/Reloxin instead of Botox!

Also, figure that most of us American Board Certified Plastic Surgeons have grown pretty comfortable with Botox.  Why would we subject our patients to "greater spread" and to unfamiliar unit dosages unless there is some pretty competitive pricing on Reloxin?

And will the manufacturers of Botox, then, have to lower their prices?

Capitalism in action!  This time, the free market is on our side.

Comments

[Ajlouny]

Even with that type of competition The FDA has a tough line to walk to try and get these new methods to people that can receive benefit, but not so early as to miss major problems. When side effects occur only in 0.1% of the subjects, you need to have 10s of thousands of subjects to really see it become statistically significant.