Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc., which this week agreed to be
acquired by Botox-maker Allergan Inc., on Friday priced its
treatment aimed at reducing the double chin.
The treatment, known as Kybella, will cost physicians $300 per
vial.
Chief Executive Keith Leonard had said in an interview with The
Wall Street Journal that patients would need an average of two to
three vials a session and an average of four sessions to see
results. That translates to a total average cost to physicians of
roughly $3,000 per patient.
Mr. Leonard suggested doctors could mark up the cost by about
100%, resulting in an average total price tag of $6,000 for
patients looking to slim their chin area.
Other injections, like Botox, are less expensive but require
more treatments.
Vials of Kybella, cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug
Administration in April, will be sold in packs of four to
physicians who have completed a training program. Training began
this month with a core group of specialists, who will then serve as
"faculty" for training other doctors. Kythera said it would also
offer online training.
The company anticipates a broader rollout in the coming months.
The Allergan tie-up is expected to close by October, the companies
said Wednesday.
Data for Kybella goes back four years and 80% of patients have
sustained results for that period, according to Mr. Leonard.
Write to Lisa Beilfuss at lisa.beilfuss@wsj.com
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