Perlane wins nod from FDA

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Medicis Pharmaceutical has received Food and Drug Administration clearance to market Perlane, a thicker formulation of the company's injectable dermal filler Restylane, for correction of moderate-to-severe facial folds and wrinkles.

The approval gives Medicis a second product in the fast-growing market for nonsurgical facial rejuvenation and helps the company to meet rising competition from Allergan Medical, based in Irvine, Calif., which sells two versions of its dermal filler Juvéderm, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Perlane is identical to the hyaluronic acid-based Restylane, but its gel particles are larger. Its effects last for about six months in two-thirds of patients, similar to Restylane's.