Patient experience
“[Dysport] has lived up to my expectations…it has been a reliable, effective treatment—it’s comforting to know that I can count on [it] to work for me.”
“I don’t feel like I have waning symptom relief. I feel pretty sustained for the 12-week period.”
“[With treatment] When [my loved ones] look at me, they don’t see cervical dystonia …, they just see me and that makes me happy.” Janice
How Dysport works
Dysport is a type of prescription medicine called botulinum toxin type A
After Dysport is injected into muscles, it temporarily blocks the overactive signals that cause muscles to tighten (contract), weakening them for up to 12 to 16 weeks or longer in some patients
This may help lessen your symptoms of muscle spasms and neck pain
It is a treatment that you receive right in your doctor’s office
Dysport significantly improved abnormal head position and neck pain
In 2 clinical studies, Dysport significantly improved abnormal position of the head and reduced neck pain at week 4.
- In clinical trials, treatment lasted for 14 weeks for most patients
- 25% of patients were not retreated for at least 18 weeks
- Based on studies of patients with cervical dystonia, at least 12 weeks should pass between treatments with a botulinum toxin
Study design: Two clinical studies included 252 patients who were new to treatment and either received Dysport or placebo. At week 4, doctors assessed how well Dysport was working by checking the change in dystonia and patient perception of disability and pain from dystonia.
How Dysport works
A History of FDA Approval
Duration of FDA approval is not intended to imply superiority in efficacy or safety of Dysport
Dysport safety and side effects
Recognize possible side effects—and know what to do about them
The most common side effects of Dysport in people with cervical dystonia include:
- muscle weakness
- difficulty swallowing
- dry mouth
- injection site discomfort
- tiredness
- headache
- muscle pain
- problems speaking
- injection site pain
- eye problems
When you take any medicine, it’s important to understand how it may affect your body.
While you and your doctor are considering treatment with Dysport, talk about possible common and serious side effects. Tell the doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of Dysport. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist or read the Full Prescribing Information. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
The most important safety information you should know about Dysport
Dysport may cause serious side effects, including problems breathing or swallowing and/or spread of toxin effects, that can be life threatening and death can happen as a complication. These problems can happen within hours, or days to weeks after an injection of Dysport.
Who should not take Dysport
Do not take Dysport if you are allergic to Dysport or any of the ingredients in Dysport (See Medication Guide for ingredients), or are allergic to cow’s milk protein; had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product, such as Botox®, Xeomin®, or Myobloc®; or have a skin infection at the planned injection site.
Safety & Side Effects
Talk to your doctor about Dysport
Your doctor is your best source of information about cervical dystonia. Ask your doctor whether Dysport may be a treatment option for you. Whether you have just been diagnosed with cervical dystonia or you are looking to start treatment, you probably have a lot of questions. Here are a few you may want to ask to get started:
- What should I expect from Dysport treatment?
- How will I know that Dysport therapy is working?
- When should I schedule another treatment session?
- What is the Important Safety Information I should know about Dysport?
- What are the possible side effects of Dysport?
Doctor Discussion Guide
This guide will help you think through your treatment goals and, with your doctor’s help, decide if Dysport may be right for you or your loved one.
Your medical history
Before starting treatment with Dysport, you should tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially any that may affect your muscles and nerves. You should also inform your doctor of all other medical conditions, including if you have or have had:
- Any problems with breathing, swallowing, or bleeding
- A slow or irregular heartbeat or rhythm
- Diabetes
- Any side effect or allergy to any botulinum toxin product
Also, let your doctor know if you are:
- Planning to have surgery
- Pregnant or plan to become pregnant; it is not known if Dysport can harm your unborn baby
- Breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed; it is not known if Dysport can pass into breast milk
Prior treatment
It is important to inform your doctor if you have ever received any other botulinum toxin products in the past or had an allergic reaction to Botox, Xeomin, or Myobloc,* or had treatment with any of these products in the last 4 months.
Also, let your doctor know if you have recently received an antibiotic by injection or are currently taking any prescription or nonprescription medications, muscle relaxants, sleep medicines, allergy/cold medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
Before starting any new medicines, be sure to tell your doctor if you have ever had treatment with Dysport.
You can receive treatment with Dysport even if you have been treated with another botulinum toxin in the past, such as Botox, Xeomin, or Myobloc.* Dysport was studied in adults with cervical dystonia, including those who had:
- Already used another botulinum toxin
- Never used any botulinum toxin
Tell your doctor if you have received any botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months and which product you received. Do not take Dysport if you had any allergic reaction to any of these other botulinum toxin products.
Dysport should be given at least 12 weeks after the last injection. Also inform your doctor if you are allergic to any of the inactive ingredients in Dysport, including human albumin or cow’s milk protein.
*Botox®, Xeomin®, and Myobloc® are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Discussing Dysport with Your Doctor
Learn more about Cervical Dystonia
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important safety information I should know about Dysport?
Dysport may cause serious side effects, including problems breathing or swallowing and/or spread of toxin effects, that can be life threatening and death can happen as a complication. These problems can happen within hours, or days to weeks after an injection of Dysport.
- Problems swallowing, breathing, or speaking. Treatment with Dysport can result in swallowing or breathing problems. People with pre-existing swallowing or breathing problems may be at greater risk following treatment with Dysport. Swallowing problems may last for several weeks; you may need a feeding tube to receive food or water. If swallowing problems are severe, food or liquids may go into your lungs.
- Spread of toxin effects. The effects of botulinum toxin may affect areas of the body away from the injection site and cause symptoms of a serious condition called botulism which include: loss of strength and muscle weakness all over the body, double or blurred vision, and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, and trouble breathing or swallowing. The risk of these symptoms is probably greatest in children treated for spasticity. These problems could make it unsafe for you to drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.
Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you experience these problems after treatment with Dysport.
Do not receive a Dysport injection if: you are allergic to Dysport or any of its ingredients, or cow’s milk protein; you had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product, such as Myobloc®, Botox®, or Xeomin®; or you have a skin infection at the planned injection site.
Before you receive a Dysport injection tell your doctor:
- About all your medical conditions, including if you have a disease that affects your muscles and nerves (such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis], myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome). You may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- If you have or have had any of the following: a side effect from any botulinum toxin in the past; problems with breathing such as asthma or emphysema; swallowing; bleeding; diabetes; and slow heartbeat, or problems with your heart rate or rhythm.
- If you have plans to have surgery, had surgery on your face, have weakness of your forehead muscles (trouble raising your eyebrows), drooping eyelids, or any other change in the way your face normally looks.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed. It is not known if Dysport can harm your unborn baby or if it passes into breast milk.
- About all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Using Dysport with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received Dysport in the past.
Especially tell your doctor if you have received any other injections of botulinum toxin in the last four months or ever; Myobloc®, Botox®, or Xeomin® (exactly which ones); an antibiotic recently by injection; or if you take muscle relaxants; allergy, cold or sleep medicine.
Most Common Side effects of Dysport in:
- adults with lower limb spasticity include: fall, muscle weakness, pain in your arms or legs.
- adults with upper limb spasticity include: muscle weakness.
- children (2 to 17 years of age) with upper limb spasticity include: upper respiratory infection and sore throat.
- children (2 to 17 years of age) with lower limb spasticity include: upper respiratory infection, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, cough, and fever.
- adults with cervical dystonia include: muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, injection site discomfort, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, problems speaking, injection site pain and eye problems.
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of Dysport. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You may report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is Dysport?
Dysport is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to treat:
- increased muscle stiffness in patients 2 years of age and older with upper and lower limb spasticity
- cervical dystonia (CD) in adults
Please see full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide with Important Warning.
Botox, Xeomin, and Myobloc are registered trademarks of their respective owners.