Shares of Irvine drug maker Allergan Inc. were up 10% at close of trading Thursday on news that its flagship Botox wrinkle remover may help relieve migraine headaches.
Allergan said it would ask the Food and Drug Administration to approve Botox for chronic migraines next year.
The company said it’s making the request based on preliminary analysis for a pair of third-phase clinical trials that show patients injected with Botox reported fewer migraine days.
Full results from the clinical trial would be published next year, Allergan said.
Botox’s other uses include treating muscle spasms of the head and neck. It’s best known for temporarily removing wrinkles.
It accounted for roughly 30% of Allergan’s $1.16 billion in sales in the second quarter, though some on Wall Street have concerns about the drug’s growth.
