Botulinum toxin (Botox)

Botulinum toxin has a damaging effect on various structures of the peripheral nervous system: neuromuscular synapse, nerve endings.

Toxins selectively block the release of acetylcholine in these structures, and simply put, turn off the muscle from work - it does not contract. This is due to the smoothing of wrinkles in the injection area.

History

2024: Growth of annual sales of botulinum toxin in Russia by 23% to 11.2 billion rubles

At the end of 2024, the volume of the Russian retail market for botulinum toxins for cosmetic operations reached 11.2 billion rubles. This is 23% more compared to the previous year, when sales of these products were estimated at 9.1 billion rubles. Such data are given in a study by the analytical company RNC Pharma, the results of which were published on April 30, 2025.

In 2024, the volume of botulinum toxin sales in units of action (U - a unit of measurement of the dose of a substance based on its biological activity) amounted to 131 million U. For comparison, a year earlier, the figure was 116.4 million U. Growth was recorded at 12.5%.

In monetary terms, 80% of sales of botulinum toxin drugs in the Russian Federation fall on cosmetology clinics and offices (taking into account the cost of the introduction service), another 20% - on pharmacies (does not include the price of the introduction service). This ratio is observed both in 2023 and in 2024. In natural terms, 69.9% of the units of action in 2024 were provided by cosmetology clinics and offices, 30.1% - by pharmacies. In 2023, these values ​ ​ were 67.6% and 32.4%, respectively.

From a regional point of view, Moscow is the leader in botulinum toxin sales, where the market volume amounted to 3.34 billion rubles. In second place is St. Petersburg with 0.96 billion rubles, and the Moscow region closes the top three with 0.53 billion rubles. Next come the Novosibirsk region with 0.43 billion rubles and the Sverdlovsk region, where sales amounted to 0.39 billion rubles. The list of the most popular drugs on the Russian market includes (share in total revenue in 2024):

• Dysport - 44.3%;
• Relatox - 27.5%;
• Myotox - 15.6%;
• Xeomin - 8.5%;
• Botox - 2%;
• Novakutan-BTA - 1.7%;
• Botulax - 0.4%;
• Refinex - 0.0003%.^[1]

2023: South Korean analogue of Botox enters Russian market

In early December 2023, it became known that sales of Novakutan-BTA, an analogue of Botox produced by the South Korean company Huons Global, began in Russia. The substance is intended for use in cosmetology in order to smooth facial lines. Read more here.

Notes