Significant and sustainable reduction in "double chin" with Bayer's ATX-101

German drug major Bayer’s (BAYN: DE) investigational drug ATX-101 can significantly and sustainably reduce unwanted fat under the chin, also known as submental fat (SMF), or double chin. More than two years after treatment with ATX-101 in Phase IIa clinical trials, levels of SMF reduction were sustained in more than 90% of patients who had initially responded to treatment, while treatment satisfaction was maintained or improved in over 80% of these patients, according to the results of a long-term follow up study presented at the 11th Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC) being held in Monaco.

Also study results from a Phase I pharmaco-kinetic study indicate that the permanent destruction of fat cells (adipocytolysis) induced by ATX-101 had no clinically significant impact on the serum lipid levels of study participants.

ATX-101 is the first injectable drug to undergo careful evaluation as a non-surgical treatment for SMF reduction in a comprehensive clinical trial setting. Rights to ATX-101 were licensed to Bayer by privately-held US biotech firm KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals for an upfront payment of $43 million (The Pharma Letter August 31, 2010).