The dreaded “double chin” could become a thing of the past if clinical trials of an injectable drug pan out, Agence-France Presse reported.
The drug, made by Bayer, is called ATX-101 and works by reducing localized fat under the chin, the company said in a statement. Right now, Bayer is testing the drug on more than 700 volunteers at centers in Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy.
"There is a huge demand for a safe, effective and approved injectable treatment for localized fat reduction," Jean-Paul Ortonne, a French dermatologist involved in the trials, told AFP. He said this is the first step towards "a well-studied, clinically-proven treatment to reduce localized submental fat without surgery."
Yvonne Moeller, a spokeswoman for Bayer, describe the procedure as “something like a tattoo.
And this is why: In order to achieve optimal results, a doctor must administer between 40 and 70 tiny injections into the fat cells over several sessions, with the amount depending on the size of the double chin.
"You would hope to see noticeable results after about 16 weeks," Moeller added.
Bayer hopes to launch the product in Europe, Asia and South America in 2014.
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