When the pharmaceutical giant Allergan got FDA approval in 1989 to use Botulinum toxin for clinical use, it represented a medical breakthrough: the first time microbial bacteria was approved for injection into the human body. Better known as the protein that makes up the extremely deadly disease botulism, it would now be marketed as Botox. Now, 30 years later, it is one of the most popular clinical treatments in the world, with applications both cosmetic and therapeutic.
To commemorate 30 years of Botox, two executives from parent Allergan told Cheddar how the brand most commonly known as a wrinkle treatment has morphed into a miracle drug of sorts, with 11 separate therapeutic applications, from overactive bladder to excessive sweating to chronic migraines. More than 100 million vials of Botox have been manufactured worldwide.
"The majority of sales in the U.S. are therapeutic," said Jag Dosanjh, senior vice president of specialty therapeutics at Allergan. "And the markets are growing."
The FDA approved Botox for use in treatment of chronic migraine sufferers back in 2010, and that has become one of its biggest markets now, Dosanjh said. Since then, it has also been approved for urinary incontinence and crow's feet wrinkles. And there's more applications currently being studied, including a possible treatment for major depressive order, according to Dr. Mitchell Brin, Allergan's chief scientific officer for Botox and neurotoxins.
"There are significant regulatory hurdles," Brin said, though that's typical anytime a pharmaceutical company is "breaking new ground."
If you're not a migraine sufferer or excessive sweater (Botox is also a popular treatment for underarm perspiration), you probably know Botox mostly for its popularity as an anti-aging procedure. Kris Jenner is giving Botox treatments as a Christmas gift this year, and doctors report a dramatic increase in people under 30 asking about injections.
Dosanjh and Brin confirmed to Cheddar that millennials are a growing market for Botox, which is perhaps surprising given the generational trend toward body positivity.
Thirty years ago, it may have been hard to imagine that injecting literal botulism toxins into one's face would become so popular. But Botox's efficacy, safety, and status as the market leader has proven it to be a resilient, multi-faceted product.
"If you can connect with the patient in the right way, because the unmet need is so significant... there's still a lot of opportunity," said Dosanjh.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
