Double-Chin Injectable Drug From Kythera Wins FDA Approval

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. won approval for a first-of-its-kind double-chin treatment.

The drug, called Kybella, is injected into the fat below the chin and destroys the fat cells, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement April 29. The agency warned that Kybella also can kill skin cells if inadvertently injected into the skin.

Kybella is a version of deoxycholic acid, a molecule that occurs naturally in the body to help destroy fat. Patients may receive as many as 50 injections in a single treatment, the FDA said. Injectable drugs such as Allergan Inc.'s Botox and dermal fillers aren’t approved ...