Allergan has confirmed it has held preliminary talks about a takeover by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
The Dublin-based Botox-maker said no agreement had been reached and there was “no certainty that these discussions will lead to a transaction”.
Allergan shares were up more than 6% on October 29 trading in New York.
Analysts said Pfizer needed to boost profits and may be looking to escape relatively high US corporate tax rates by moving its headquarters to Dublin.
“Allergan today confirmed that it has been approached by Pfizer Inc. and is in preliminary friendly discussions regarding a potential business combination transaction,” the company said in a statement.
“The company will not comment on speculation regarding the terms of a potential transaction.”
The talks were first reported in the media on October 28.
In 2014, Pfizer made an offer to buy another UK drugs group, AstraZeneca, but Astra rejected the offer, arguing it undervalued the company.
Animal tests suggested that Botox injections may help fight cancer.
The new study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed nerves help stomach cancers grow.
Research on mice found that using the toxin beloved by those seeking a wrinkle-free face to kill nerves could halt the growth of stomach tumors and make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
Botox is usually used in the fight against the signs of ageing, not cancer.
The toxin disrupts nerve function to relax muscles and even out wrinkles, but a growing body of work suggests nerves can also help fuel cancer growth.
Scientists Columbia University Medical Centre, in New York, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim investigated the role of the vagus nerve – which runs from the brain to the digestive system – in stomach cancer.
Research on mice found that using Botox to kill nerves could halt the growth of stomach tumors and make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy
Either cutting the nerve or using the toxin Botox slowed the growth of tumors or made them more responsive to chemotherapy.
Dr. Timothy Wang, one of the scientists in the study, said: “If you just cut nerves is it going to cure cancer? Probably not.
“At least in early phase, if you [disrupt the nerve] the tumor becomes much more responsive to chemotherapy, so we don’t see this as a single cure, but making current and future treatments more effective.”
Some trials have started in people who are having surgery to remove a stomach cancer. There has also been research suggesting nerves may have a role in prostate cancer too.
However, Dr. Timothy Wang acknowledged that there was a long way to go before this could be considered a treatment.
“With everything new in cancer, even if it looks great, when you start to roll it out to patients it always seems cancer is smarter than we are.
“Tumors have the ability to out-evolve any single agent, knocking one leg of a stool is probably not going to topple it.
“But I think this has a lot of potential and in a decade or two I can see these pathways being targeted.”
Botox treatment for wrinkles around the corners of the eyes – also known as “crow’s feet” – was officially sanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday.
Crow’s feet are thought to be caused by repeated muscle contractions over a lifetime through facial expressions like frowning, smiling and squinting.
“This additional indication will provide people with a new FDA approved treatment option for those seeking a smoother appearance by temporarily minimizing the appearance of crow’s feet at the sides of the eyes,” said Susan Walker, director of the Division of Dermatology and Dental Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in theFDA statement.
Botox has been used for decades by opthalmologists to treat eyelid twitching, or blepharospasm, according to Dr. Jennifer Walden.
The Texas-based aesthetic plastic surgeon, told CBSNews.comthat this is one of the ways doctors discovered it could smooth the skin.
While this new FDA approval for Botox only came Wednesday, Dr. Jennifer Walden said: “Doctors have been using it off-label for years to smooth the crow’s feet.”
FDA approved Botox treatment for crow’s feet and lines
The new FDA approval came following a study of 833 adults conducted by the drug’s manufacturer, Allergan Inc. of Irvine, California, where participants were randomly assigned to receive a Botox or a placebo injection.
People treated with Botox had greater reductions in crow’s feet.
Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is a protein and neurotoxin and is the most acutely toxic substance known.
However, when injected directly into a muscle in approved doses, Botox prevents muscles from tightening by temporarily paralyzing them, which in turn makes wrinkles disappear – for up to six months.
Botox was first approved as a cosmetic by the FDA in 2002 for temporary improvement of frown lines – the wrinkles between the eyebrows, also known as glabellar lines.
The most common side effect seen was eyelid edema, which causes the eyelids to become swollen due to fluid buildup.
Botox labels contain the strongest warning the FDA offers saying the effects of the toxin may spread from the area of injection to other areas of the body.
However, the FDA said there has never been a confirmed serious case of this happening when Botox is used at recommended doses.
According to Dr. Marco Harmaty, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, Botox has been frequently used for crow’s feet and other unapproved areas of the face, like the side of the nose.
The FDA’s new approval “does give you an added benefit and safety of saying that I’m not doing anything illegal or potentially harmful”, he said to CBSNews.com.
Botox for cosmetic purposes still likely won’t be covered by insurers, given it is used for cosmetic purposes.
Insurers often cover people who have approved medical conditions treated by Botox, including chronic migraines, severe underarm sweating and others.
In the last weeks John Kerry’s eyes seemed less droopy than usual and his entire face seemed somehow wider.
Why did Secretary of State John Kerry look so different?
His personal spokesman Glen Johnson explained that John Kerry has been working non-stop with no vacation – and barely has had time to squeeze in a simple haircut.
“It’s looks to me that he has limited movement on the left side of his face,” said cosmetic dermatologist Tina Alster.
“He doesn’t have any movement in his face at all,” said plastic surgeon Barry Cohen.
It could also be one of many other possibilities. Lack of sleep – no surprise, given the last couple of months with his wife’s illness and the Syrian crisis. Or something as simple as allergies, which could cause his eyes and face to puff up. It could be a minor cosmetic procedure like Botox or another injectable, or Bell’s palsy, a common virus which affects facial nerves and can mimic a minor stroke or bad Botox. Or simply stress.
John Kerry’s eyes seemed less droopy than usual and his entire face seemed somehow wider
“Stress can always make you look not like yourself,” said Tina Alster.
“It can definitely change how your face looks.”
John Kerry, 69, is no stranger to speculation about his classic patrician face. In the 1970’s, he had an operation to correct a malocclusion – a problem with his bite that caused clicking in his jaw. His smooth, unwrinkled appearance during the 2004 presidential race caused enough of a stir that his campaign was forced to deny Botox rumors directly.
In January of 2012, John Kerry showed up at the White House celebration for the Boston Bruins sporting two black eyes.
He denied any plastic surgery. Just the result of a nasty spill while playing hockey with family and friends over the New Year’s break, he said.
But the fact that the chatter arose again this week about whether his appearance was the result of exhaustion or some cosmetic snafu annoyed those close to him.
“Not only is it a little sad that this constitutes news by anyone’s definition in Washington when we’re debating the use of force in Syria, but the answer is simple: No, end of story. That’s not a denial, that’s a fact,” Glen Johnson said.
Gwyneth Paltrow promotes a healthy lifestyle but she admits having her vices, like smoking one cigarette per week.
Gwyneth Paltrow, 40, also admitted she has tried Botox injections in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar.
When asked about her guilty pleasures, Gwyneth Paltrow, who recently penned healthy eating cookbook It’s All Good, said: “My one light American Spirit that I smoke once a week, on Saturday night.”
As for surgery, the star said she would be “scared to go under the knife”, although she admitted that may change as she gets older.
Gwyneth Paltrow promotes a healthy lifestyle but she admits having her vices, like smoking one cigarette per week
“I’ll try anything. Except I won’t do Botox again, because I looked crazy,” Gwyneth Paltrow said.
“I looked like Joan Rivers!”
The actress also admitted to stepping up her beauty routine in recent years.
“I really used to be bad with products, but I exfoliate every night and use a lot of organic oils,” she said, confiding that she is a Sonya Dakar fan.
Gwyneth Paltrow said she recently had the Thermage laser treatment, which she described as “quite painful”.
“It feels like someone’s smacking your face with a rubber band that has an electric shock in it,” she said.
“But I would do it again, because I feel like it took five years off my face.”
Gwyneth Paltrow also spoke about the apparent contradictions in promoting a healthy lifestyle and organic products while at the same time indulging in high-end beauty treatments.
“I think it’s a mix,” she said.
“You know, I use organic products, but I get lasers. It’s what makes life, finding the balance between cigarettes and tofu.”
Gwyneth Paltrow opened about her 10-year marriage to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, stating that they are “growing into very similar people”.
The star, who is already a mother to Apple, 8, and Moses, 6, said she is considering trying for a third child, despite the big adjustment that would entail.
“But then you see a baby and you smell a baby!” she said.
“And you’re like, <<Yep, I do>>. I don’t know. It’s a very big decision, so we’ll see. Anyway, I’m not doing it this month!”
New treatments that use extremely cold temperatures are the hottest beauty trend.
From reducing wrinkles and boosting radiance to firming the skin, exposing the body to plummeting temperatures can have multiple benefits, say the experts behind these procedures.
“Therapies that use cold temperature can stimulate circulation,” says Dr. Preema Vig, medical director of Beyond MediSpa at Harvey Nichols, UK.
“When used in the right way through the correct technology and methods, it’s possible to see benefits in fat reduction and skin toning.”
We’ve all heard of Botox, but a new technique set to become widely available this summer has earned the nickname “Frotox”.
Iovera – a toxin-free alternative to Botox – uses a technique called cryoneuromodulation to banish fine lines.
The 20-minute procedure involves placing a device filled with liquid nitrogen next to the nerves that control the muscles that cause wrinkles.
“The liquid nitrogen freezes the targeted nerves on the forehead and between the brows,” says Harley Street plastic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, who has been trialing and refining the procedure developed by California-based lab Myoscience Inc. for more than a year.
“This puts the nerves into temporary hibernation, so muscles relax and wrinkles disappear.
“Unlike Botox, which takes four days to work, the effects can be seen immediately and last for up to four months. And as nitrogen occurs naturally in the body – unlike Botox – you aren’t putting a foreign substance in to your system.”
From reducing wrinkles and boosting radiance to firming the skin, exposing the body to plummeting temperatures can have multiple benefits
Cold therapy is also being used in a new generation of super-powered facials. The Cryoderm facial costs about $800, but practitioners say the price tag reflects the cutting-edge technologies used in the treatment.
The 75-minute session combines cold therapy with exfoliating microdermabrasion, lymphatic-drainage massage and collagen-boosting radio frequency.
“The cold causes the blood vessels to contract and then dilate, which improves the oxygen and nutrient supply to the skin’s surface, making it appear more radiant,” says facialist Rani Mirza, who has performed the treatment on celebrities including Anna Friel, Natalie Imbruglia and Erin O’Connor.
“My clients like it because it gives their skin a taut and more defined look,” she adds.
A more affordable option comes from Parisian brand Anne Semonin. Cheryl Cole is said to be keen on the “Ice” Cryotherapy Super Facial, which includes a cleanse and exfoliation followed by a puff-reducing massage using ice cubes made with marine spring water, moisturizing red algae and evening primrose oil.
Cold therapy is also being used to shift fat and cellulite. Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Alba are said to be fans of the Bioslimming Body Wrap.
Despite the trend, not everyone is warming to the idea of cold therapy.
“Some of these treatments can break down fat and tighten skin, but results are unpredictable,” says cosmetic doctor Mervyn Patterson.
“Treatments such as Frotox are at very early stages and we know little about its long-term safety and effectiveness.
“Low temperatures can be soothing after surgical procedures and temporarily rejuvenating, but there is no evidence to support claims that this type of therapy has lasting anti-ageing benefits.”
Anjelica Huston has been revealed as the latest celebrity pillow face victim, after displaying her suspiciously plump cheeks.
Anjelica Huston, 61, showed off her new look as she took part in a panel to promote the second series of her hit show Smash in Pasadena, California, on Sunday.
And Anjelica Huston’s incredibly smooth face had another unwanted affect as it highlighted the creped skin on her neck.
The raven-haired actress is no stranger to taking extreme measures in a bid to maintain her youthful appearance, and admitted previously to having collagen injections to smooth things out.
However, Anjelica Huston also admitted she had been put off some surgical procedures after a Botox experiment went wrong.
The actress explained: “I went to a doctor who said, <<Angelica, we have this wonderful new thing, it’s called Botox>>.
“He took a huge needle and plunged it into my third eye. The pain was something inexplicable. I gasped, I writhed and when I came to, I had a headache that lasted four days. A serious one.”
Anjelica Huston has been revealed as the latest celebrity pillow face victim, after displaying her suspiciously plump cheeks
Anjelica Huston’s new appearance was revealed as she took part in a Smash panel ahead of the premiere of the second season on February 5th, alongside co-stars Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee.
And the programme’s new showrunner Josh Safran promised viewers that the upcoming series is sure to be as exciting as the first – with a few new twists.
He said: “The stuff that you love from last year is still there, and the stuff that people thought maybe went off on tangents, we’ve looked at. Maybe bigger, more music. Maybe younger, in regards to the new castmembers.
“There was never anything that I outright didn’t like. I just thought season one was interesting to watch. It was somebody else’s world. It was fun to be an audience member and then come in and put my ideas in.”
Sarah Burge, a mother-of-three dubbed the “Human Barbie” because of her obsession with plastic surgery, has been slammed by chat show host Anderson Cooper after she revealed she is giving her teenage daughter Botox injections.
Anderson Cooper was forced to cut a TV interview with Sarah Burge shortly after she justified giving her teenage daughter Botox injections.
“I would prefer to oversee my daughter’s Botox than have her going underground finding a voodoo witchdoctor or getting it off the internet and administrating it herself,” Sarah Burge said defiantly.
But appalled by her behavior, Anderson Cooper shook his head in disbelief stating: “I try and to be really polite to all my guests.
“I just think you’re dreadful and I honestly don’t want to talk to you anymore, so I’m just going to stop.”
Sarah Burge, 51, a self-confessed plastic surgery addict recently relocated from UK to the US to launch her eight-year-old Poppy as a child beauty pageant star, believing she could give the stars of the controversial show Toddlers & Tiaras a run for their money.
However, her insistence on teaching her young daughters to pole dance, giving them vouchers to spend on plastic surgery and throwing them Botox parties is proving unpopular on both sides of the Atlantic.
Following the show Anderson Cooper added: “I regret having here on in the first place.
“I think encouraging her little daughter to pole dance and giving her plastic surgery vouchers and then telling the media about it…
“I wish her the best, I certainly don’t want to be rude to anybody.”
“Human Barbie” Sarah Burge has been slammed by Anderson Cooper after she revealed she is giving her teenage daughter Botox injections
Sarah Burge has spent more than $800,000 on her own surgical enhancements and she has been in the spotlight numerous times – for all the wrong reasons.
The 25-year-old troubled actress Lindsay Lohan appears to already be a big fan of cosmetic treatments.
Lindsay Lohan stepped out in New York ahead of her Saturday Night Live appearance, and showed off a very puffy “pillow face” – the term given to women who overuse facial fillers.
The young actress joins Madonna and Kylie Minogue as the most obvious examples of stars whose ever youthful glow suggests they may have had fat implants in their cheeks, causing the “pillow face effect”.
While Lindsay Lohan doesn’t appear to have gained weight, her face looked much rounder and the overall effect left her looking older than her 25 years.
Increasing numbers of celebrities are getting the plumped-up look, as opposed to the pinched back “wind tunnel” results of a face-lift or the “frozen” Botox look.
Lindsay Lohan stepped out ahead of the airing of a frank new interview with the Today show’s Matt Lauer in which she said she’s put the past behind her and is finally ready for a career comeback.
After a messy few years sprinkled with jail time, court appearances and house arrests, Lindsay Lohan swears she’s finally cleaned up her act and realizes she needs to prove herself.
Lindsay Lohan stepped out in New York ahead of her Saturday Night Live appearance, and showed off a very puffy “pillow face”
In the interview, which will be screened in the U.S. on Thursday, Lindsay Lohan says: “I think that’s gonna take time…and I think that it’s actions.
“Because people can say things all they want, but I think I still need to go through the process of proving myself with SNL, being on time, being, you know, keeping my – can’t say the word – but stuff together.”
Linday Lohan certainly looked well put together in a sophisticated LBD and elegant heels.
She appeared alert and coherent in a bid to prove herself.
Lindsay Lohan says: “I don’t want people to have that reason to be scared anymore. So being able to have this opportunity with SNL and the film, I’m gonna do what I’m supposed to do, and enjoy doing it, and do it as best as I can.”
She also promises that she’s not going out anymore, and claims she’s actually morphed into a “homebody”.
“It’s not my thing anymore,” she says.
“I went out, actually, a few months ago with a friend. And I was so uncomfortable.
“Not because I felt tempted, just because it was just the same thing that it always was before. And it just wasn’t fun for me.
“I’ve become more of a homebody. And I like that.”
Lindsay Lohan also confirmed her plans to play Elizabeth Taylor in an upcoming biopic.
She reveals: “We’re in the middle of casting and figuring – we start production soon.
“I’ve been doing tons of research. But I’ve always kind of researched her. She’s always been a fascinating woman to me, so I’m really honored.
“And I will not let anyone down, especially myself.”
Lindsay Lohan is one court case away from putting the plethora of legal troubles she’s been plagued with since her 2007 arrest for drunk driving behind her.
The actress will host Saturday Night Live on March 3 for the fourth time and seemed excited today as she shot a promo for the hit NBC sketch show.
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