Allergan wins injunction against Botox alternative

Allergan has confirmed that a US judge has issued a permanent injunction against German group Merz regarding its alternative treatment to the blockbuster Botox.

Specifically, Merz has been ruled to have violated California’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act and Judge Andrew Guilford concluded that the units misappropriated important trade secrets belonging to Allergan. These include “the specific identities and financial details” of the latter’s relationships with doctors in the USA that are using Botox (onabotulinum toxin type A) for cosmetic (wrinkles) and therapeutic (eg cervical dystonia  and migraine) indications, and the facial filler Juvederm (hyaluronic acid).

Merz began selling its botulinum toxin type A treatment Xeomin for cosmetic use in the USA last November and by December, it had captured an 8% share of the market, according to court filings. The judge also found that Merz misappropriated Allergan’s marketing plans, including those to address competition from the German group, saying “the value of this information is incalculable.”

Read the full article at http://www.pharmatimes.com/article/12-03-13/Allergan_wins_injunction_against_Botox_alternative.aspx

Source: by Keith Grogan on March 13, 2012 for PharmaTimes Online at http://www.pharmatimes.com/article/12-03-13/Allergan_wins_injunction_against_Botox_alternative.aspx