FDA approves first eyelash-lengthening drug

BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Chinese medianet) -- The Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) recently approved the first drug that will help with

producing longer eyelashes, according to media reports Monday.

Latisse, produced by the company of Allergan, is

supposed to treat those who have hypotrichosis, a condition in which a person

does not have enough eyelashes. It will be available by prescription starting in

the first quarter of 2009.

The active ingredient in the once-daily prescription

treatment is bimatroprost, the same ingredient that is in Allergan's glaucoma

treatment Lumigan.

Allergan states that "Latisse users can expect to

experience longer, fuller, and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks,

with full results in 16 weeks." If Latisse is stopped, eyelashes will gradually

return to their previous appearance as new eyelashes grow in.

The company also stated, "Latisse is the first and

only science-based treatment approved by the FDA to enhance eyelash prominence

as measured by increases in length, thickness and darkness of eyelashes."

Allergan noted that Latisse may cause darkening of

the eyelid skin, which may be reversible, and it "may also cause increased brown

pigmentation of the colored part of the eye, which is likely to be permanent."

The drug is the first prescription product for

lengthening eyelashes, making sales forecasting a little difficult although

Allergan said it estimates global peak sales could top 500 million U.S.

dollarsa year.

(Agencies)