Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Free of Complexing Proteins (XEOMIN®) in Focal Dystonia

Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BTX-A) weakens voluntary muscle strength and is an effective therapy for focal dystonia, including cervical dystonia (CD) and benign essential blepharospasm (BEB). It is also known to relieve hemifacial spasm and focal spasticity in children and adults. In addition, BTX-A has been shown to be effective in a wide range of other indications, such as gastrointestinal disorders, hyperhidrosis and cosmetic wrinkle correction (e.g. glabellar frown lines). A new formulation of BTX-A, NT 201 (XEOMIN®) has been developed. NT 201 is a formulation of pure BTX-A free of complexing proteins and, therefore, may have a reduced immunogenic potential compared with other BTX-A preparations. The pre-clinical and clinical development of NT 201 is reviewed in this article.