UK MHRA licenses Allergan's Botox for use in patients with overactive bladder

Botox (botulinum toxin type A), from US drugmaker Allergan (NYSE: AGN), has been licensed by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the management of bladder dysfunctions in adult patients with overactive bladder (OAB).

The injections have been approved for patients with symptoms of urinary incontinence, urgency and frequency and who are not adequately managed with anticholinergics. The use of Botox in the management of these patients is recommended by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in its guidelines on Urinary Incontinence. This is the 10th indication for Botox in the UK and the only botulinum toxin indicated for the management of bladder dysfunctions in this country. When used in the treatment of OAB, Botox works by helping to relax the bladder muscle which minimizes sudden contraction and reduces leakage. It also targets the nerves controlling the sensation of urgency.