MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
Issue link: https://medesthetics.epubxp.com/i/367774
NEWS & EVENTS 70 SEPTEMBER 2014 | Med Esthetics VALEANT SELLS FILLER AND TOXIN ASSETS Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has sold all rights to injectables Restylane, Perlane, Emervel, Sculptra and Dysport to Galderma for $1.4 billion. The sale is pursuant to a previously announced agreement with Nestlé S.A., which recently acquired Galderma. Two of the newly acquired fi llers, Emervel Classic and Emervel Deep, have been submitted for approval by the FDA and Health Canada, and are currently under review. Customers can continue to order the above products through their current account numbers and phone numbers. Beginning July 28, Galderma will have a new branded distribution process. All accounts will automatically receive a new Galderma account number as well as information on the new ordering process. MERZ SIGNS LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL RETINOID THERAPY Merz North America has signed an agreement with Brickell Biotech that grants Merz an exclusive North American license—with some additional international rights—to develop and commercialize a novel retinoid compound for the treatment of skin conditions known to be responsive to retinoid agents, such as acne and psoriasis. Under the terms of the agreement, Merz North America will assume the full cost and responsibility for future development and commercialization, initially for North America. In preclinical studies performed by Brickell, the patent-protected retinoid therapy displayed activity that differentiated it from the leading topical retinoids currently available on the market. "As Merz North America continues to expand its presence in the U.S. medical dermatology space, we are excited to continue the clinical development of this new chemical entity (NCE) via our own in-house research and development expertise," said Bill Humphries, president & CEO of Merz North America. ASDS WINS GOLD CIRCLE AWARD The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) won the 2014 Gold Circle Award for its national branding campaign that touts members' expertise in skin health and beauty. The awards were presented as part of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) annual Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference, which took place on June 17, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The ASDS branding campaign stresses a simple message: "From aging skin to skin cancer, choose an ASDS dermatologist." The multichannel campaign positions ASDS dermatologists as the specialists of choice for all skincare needs, both medical and cosmetic. Nearly 200 submissions from associations and nonprofi ts were judged with fewer than 20 awards distributed. MERZ TO ACQUIRE ULTHERA Merz and Ulthera have entered into a defi nitive merger agreement, pursuant to which Merz will acquire global medical device company Ulthera, which developed the ultrasound-based Ultherapy technology for noninvasive skin tightening and lifting. Valued at up to $600 million in up-front cash and milestone payments, the acquisition is the largest in Merz's history. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2014. "This acquisition represents an important strategic milestone for Merz," said Philip Burchard, CEO of Merz Pharma Group, which has affi liates in 18 countries around the world. "We have a vision to be the most innovative company in aesthetics, and expanding into the rapidly growing fi eld of energy devices will position us for long-term success in this area. The addition of Ulthera's energy device technology complements and expands our global presence in the aesthetics space." BAYER ANNOUNCES CLINICAL RESULTS OF AZA TOPICAL Bayer HealthCare has announced positive results from a Phase 3 trial that evaluated its 15% azelaic acid (AzA) foam formulation for the topical treatment of infl ammatory papules and pustules of rosacea. The randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, multi- center study included more than 960 adult patients with rosacea, showing 12-50 infl ammatory lesions at the time of inclusion in the study. The severity of the condition was based on Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scale scoring as well as a count of the infl ammatory lesions. Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either AzA 15% foam or unmedicated vehicle foam twice daily for 12 weeks. Safety and tolerability were evaluated during the full 16-week study course, while the effi cacy endpoints were assessed at the end of the 12-week treatment period. Compared to vehicle, treatment with AzA 15% foam resulted in a higher clinician-assessed treatment success rate (32.0% vs. 23.5%, p=0.001) as well as statistically signifi cant greater reduction in the mean nominal change of infl ammatory lesions (-13.0 vs. -10.2, p<0.001). The overall frequency of adverse events (AEs) was 31% in the AzA 15% foam group and 25% in the vehicle group. The vast majority of AEs in both groups were mild to moderate. In the AzA 15% foam group, no serious drug- related AEs were reported. LA ROCHE-POSAY AND WDS JOIN FORCES TO INCREASE SUNSCREEN USAGE AMONG PATIENTS OF COLOR One out of fi ve Americans will get skin cancer, and although melanoma incidence is higher in Caucasians, the fi ve-year