Panel Backs New Anti-Wrinkle Treatment

March 3, 2003 -- A new shot that promises to erase wrinkles permanently may soon give people seeking a more youthful appearance a longer-lasting alternative to Botox injections. An FDA advisory panel has recommended that the agency approve a new type of collagen-based anti-wrinkle treatment called Artecoll.

Although the FDA is not required to follow the recommendations of the panel, it usually does within a few months of the recommendation.

The anti-wrinkle treatment Artecoll contains tiny microspheres that contain about 75% collagen and 25% of a substance known as PMMA or polymethylmethacrylate, which is commonly used in medical devices such as contact lenses and bone implants.

Researchers say the major difference between this product and other types of anti-wrinkle treatments that temporarily reduce the appearance of wrinkles is that the effects of Artecoll are permanent. The body absorbs the collagen component of the microspheres within one to three months and then the remaining PMMA stimulates new collagen formation, which makes the skin look plumper and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

The panel also said that doctors should be properly trained to inject this permanent material, and patients should be made aware of the potential risks associated with the anti-wrinkle treatment, including bumps or lumps on the face.

According to Artes Medical, which produces Artecoll, the product has been used by more than 200,000 patients worldwide.

SOURCE: News release, Artes Medical.

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