In yet another what-can’t-Botox-do indication, Allergan announced today that the FDA has approved the neuromodulator for one more use: The treatment of lower limb spasticity in adult patients to decrease the severity of increased muscle stiffness in ankle and toe muscles.
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“Spasticity is a debilitating condition that can have a significant impact on patients’ lives, compromising their ability to perform a range of daily activities,” said Mitchell F. Brin, senior vice president Global Development and Scientific Officer, Botox, in a company-issued release. “This FDA approval marks our continued commitment to partnering with scientists and researchers around the world to explore the potential benefits of Botox in treating specific medical conditions. We are pleased that through this research, we are now able to offer this treatment option for patients with lower limb spasticity.”
Botox is currently the only botulinum toxin to be approved by the FDA to treat multiple muscle groups of the upper (areas like the elbow, wrist, fingers, and thumb) and lower limbs that may be impacted by spasticity. The condition causes an abnormal increase in muscle tone or stiffness and may hinder movement and cause discomfort; it affects approximately 1 million people in the U.S. alone. It is typically caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary movement. The most common causes include stroke, adult cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, physical trauma, or infection.
