A cream made by Aliso Viejo-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International to treat the early signs of skin cancer also may reduce wrinkles, researchers said Monday.
A study published in the Archives of Dermatology showed that Valeant’s Efudex cream, which is used to treat actinic keratosis, a precursor to skin cancer, improved the appearance of skin, smoothed rough spots and wrinkles, improved skin color and erased brown spots.
Dana Sachs, a University of Michigan researcher who led the study, told Reuters that Efudex appeared to cause a wound-healing response in patients that builds up collagen and improves the appearance of wrinkles.
Efudex accounted for $60 million of Valeant’s $657 million revenue in 2008.
If Valeant were to choose to possibly look at developing Efudex as a cosmetic drug, it could look to a nearby drug maker for precedent.
Last year, Irvine-based Allergan Inc. found that bimatoprost, the active ingredient in its Lumigan glaucoma drug, helped to grow patients’ eyelashes.
From those findings, Allergan developed Latisse for eyelash growth and launched it earlier this year. Allergan has estimated that annual sales of Latisse could eventually top $500 million or more.
Allergan’s wrinkle remover Botox also was developed as a cosmetic drug after doctors found it reduced wrinkles.
