Allergan buys toxin delivery tech firm, boosts Botox portfolio

11-Jan-2016 - Last updated on 11-Jan-2016 at 13:15 GMT

Allergan has bought a non-invasive drug candidate for eye wrinkles (crow's feet).

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Allergan has acquired neurotoxin company Anterios for $90m (€83m).

The deal will also see Allergan make extra payments for milestones related to Anterios’s delivery platform which administers neurotoxins through the skin without injection.

Anterios also develops botulinum toxin-based prescription drugs including the topical candidate ANT-1207, a type A botulinum toxin aimed at hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), acne, and crow's feet lines. The acquisition adds to Allergan’s existing botulinum portfolio, which includes successful cosmetic injection Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA). Allergan has revealed it will seek approval for Botox for more indications, including osteoarthritis and depression.

Drug delivery

Anterios says its drug delivery platform, named NDS (after Nanodermal Society), allows “local, targeted delivery of botulinum toxin and other macromolecules across the skin without needles or other invasive treatments that can be destructive to the skin. NDS also enables the formulation of macromolecules as ready-to-use liquid injectable products.” The platform is intended for use in doctors’ offices.

One dermatologist commented that the non-invasive delivery technique for topical neurotoxins will help skin and aesthetic conditions.

"Offering products that provide an enhanced delivery mechanism and an effective topical formulation to today's injectable botulinum toxin products would be an important advance for our specialty," said William Coleman, clinical professor of dermatology and adjunct professor of plastic surgery, Tulane Health Science Center.

Merger and spin-out

Speaking of the Anterios-Allergan deal, David Nicholson, Allergan president of global R&D, commented, "This acquisition demonstrates our ability to apply our tremendous scientific leadership in neurotoxins to further extend our already deep neurotoxin pipeline by advancing a new delivery system and formulations that are appealing to both patients and physicians."

Before closing, Anterios spun out some assets to a new company, Eirion Therapeutics, Inc., funded by Anterios shareholders. Eirion will retain non-exclusive rights to ANT-1207.

Pfizer and Allergan are in the process of merging after a $160m deal was struck in November.