MedEsthetics—business education for medical practitioners—provides the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures, treatment trends, product and equipment reviews, legal issues and medical aesthetics industry news.
Issue link: https://medesthetics.epubxp.com/i/111786
NEWS & EVENTS INTERNATIONAL COSMETIC PROCEDURE RANKINGS RELEASED Lipoplasty is the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the world, and the United States ranks No. 1 in the total number of invasive and noninvasive cosmetic procedures performed in 2011, according to a new worldwide study from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS, isaps.org). Lipoplasty, breast augmentation and blepharoplasty are the three most popular surgical procedures. Botulinum toxins, HA-based dermal ���llers and laser hair removal led the pack as the top three noninvasive procedures performed worldwide. The data, gathered from more than 20,000 plastic surgeons, reveal that the United States, followed by Brazil, performed the largest numbers of lipoplasty (223,066 and 211,108), breast augmentation (284,351 and 148,962), blepharoplasty (110,016 and 90,281) and abdominoplasty (114,062 and 95,004) surgeries. China and Japan claim the largest number of rhinoplasty procedures at 51,680 and 46,599 respectively. In noninvasive procedures, China ranked second to the United States in botulinum toxin injections, dermal ���llers and laser hair removal, while Brazil outranked all other nations in autologous fat transfer. DEVELOPMENT OF TOPICAL FATBURNING GEL XAF5 ADVANCES WITH NEW FUNDING A topical, fat-burning gel is moving one step closer to market, thanks to a new funding agreement. Topokine Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for dermatology and medical aesthetics, has announced a ���nancing arrangement with Boston-based investment ���rm Schooner Capital wherein Topokine will receive immediate capital and the ability to draw additional capital to advance its pipeline products, including XAF5 Gel, a clinical-stage skin cream for local reduction of excess subcutaneous fat. ���We are delighted to partner with Schooner Capital,��� said Murat Kalayoglu, MD, PhD, Topokine President and CEO. ���Schooner���s long-term commitment allows us to invest not only in the development of XAF5 Gel, but also other drugs in our pipeline.��� ���Topokine is generating impressive results and intellectual property at a rapid pace,��� said Ted Henderson, a managing director at Schooner Capital. ���We are committed to seeing Topokine���s products get to market, whether by organic growth or with a best-in-class Pharmaceutical partner.��� MERZ INJUNCTION LIFTED A court-ordered injunction enacted in 2012 that prohibited Merz North America, parent company of Merz Aesthetics (merzaesthetics.com) and Merz Pharmaceuticals, from promoting and selling some of its portfolio of medical 76 MARCH/APRIL 2013 | MedEsthetics aesthetics products, including XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA), has been lifted, effective Jan. 9. Merz North America is now permitted to sell and promote its entire portfolio of FDA-approved products, including XEOMIN, BELOTERO BALANCE Dermal Filler and Radiesse Volumizing Filler, in the United States with no restrictions imposed by the court. ���Never at any point did the injunction question the quality of Merz���s products,��� said Bill Humphries, president and CEO of Merz, Inc. ���Although the injunction represented a challenge to our business activities, I am proud to announce that during those 10 months, we continued to advance our core business, launching Naftin (nafti���ne hydrochloride) 2% cream, ���ling an NDA with the FDA for Naftin (nafti���ne hydrochloride) 2% gel, acquiring two novel prescription products (CUVPOSA and Onmel), and naming and staf���ng our Merz North American Leadership Team. Moving into 2013, our focus will be on sales and marketing execution in the marketplace, business development and licensing, and the organic expansion of our pipeline to better serve patients and physicians.��� ALMA LASERS TAKES THREE AWARDS AT AESTHETIC INDUSTRY EVENT Alma Lasers, a marketer and developer of aesthetic laser, ultrasound and RF technologies, together with its UK partner ABC Lasers, was awarded three medals at the Aesthetic Awards show, an industry event promoting the best of the medical aesthetic industry. The awards ceremony took place in London in December. For the second consecutive year, Alma Lasers and ABC Lasers were awarded the gold medal for best equipment brand. The Soprano hair removal laser from Alma also received a gold medal for best aesthetic procedure, while the ClearLift Laser received a silver medal for best new product innovation. The ClearLift is a fractional nonablative 1064nm Q-Switched laser, used to perform the ���Lunch Break Facelift.��� The annual Aesthetic Awards in association with Cosmetic News magazine were established to recognize innovation, dedication and service within the aesthetic industry. Guy Goudsmit, managing director of ABC Lasers accepted the awards at the show saying, ���ABC Lasers and Alma Lasers being awarded gold winner of Equipment Brand for a second year is testimony to the clinical and commercial success which our clients have achieved.��� LA ROCHE-POSAY SUPPORTS MELANOMA FOUNDATION To honor the life of Mollie Biggane, a 20-year-old college sophomore who died from melanoma, La