Actress Christina Hendricks Urges Women to Join Her in the Final Weeks of the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge to Increase Money Raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® from $390,000 to Campaign Goal of $500,000

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmy®-nominated actress Christina Hendricks, in partnership with Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN), the maker of LATISSE® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is calling on women to help her in a final push to raise $500,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by November 30 through the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge – a campaign inspired by the tradition of blowing on an eyelash to make wishes come true. Since its launch in June 2011, participants in the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge have helped to raise more than $390,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but $110,000 is still needed to meet the campaign goal and help grant a wish in every Make-A-Wish® chapter across the country.  

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(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111109/LA03172-b)

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111109/LA03172-c)

With just weeks until the campaign's close, Hendricks, a LATISSE® user, is urging women to help by donating a minimum of $20 on www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com by November 30. As a thank you, the first 10,000 participants making the minimum $20 donation will receive a free trial certificate for a one month's supply of LATISSE® – the first and only prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grow lashes longer, fuller and darker for those with inadequate or not enough lashes (eyelash hypotrichosis) – to take to a doctor to determine if LATISSE® is right for them. Campaign participants who invite two friends to support the campaign will also receive a $20 rebate off their next purchase of LATISSE®.

"Every donation counts towards making a child's wish come true," said Hendricks. "I had the honor of helping to grant a wish for 17-year-old David who wanted to attend the Primetime Emmy® Awards. It was a pleasure to escort David and his family on the Red Carpet at this year's awards and to know that David enjoyed 'star treatment' that day. There are so many other wishes to grant to courageous children like David, and I hope women will join me in supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation by participating in the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge.

"I also hope that women take advantage of the opportunity to receive the free trial certificate for LATISSE®. My lashes have always been thin and light in color, and over time, I know they will continue to thin out even more. I talked to my doctor about LATISSE® and have been using it nightly for 16 weeks now to grow my lashes longer, fuller and darker. I am thrilled by my lash results and encourage women interested in LATISSE® to visit www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation and ask their doctor if LATISSE® is right for them."  

Women can join the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge by November 30 to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, learn more about LATISSE® and see the results of Hendricks' full 16-week use of LATISSE® at www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com. Important safety information is presented below and can be found on www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com. Women can also stay connected to the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge on Twitter via @WishesChallenge and on Facebook.

About LATISSE®

LATISSE® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis used to grow eyelashes longer, fuller and darker. Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes. The once-daily prescription treatment is applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a sterile, single-use-per-eye disposable applicator. While individual results may vary, LATISSE® users may begin to notice longer lashes in about one month and experience full results in four months. If use of LATISSE® is discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to where they were prior to treatment over a period of several weeks to months (average eyelash hair cycle).

Similar to Allergan's other medical aesthetic offerings, the benefits of LATISSE® are derived from scientific evidence, its quality formulation and medical origin. LATISSE® was clinically tested in a pivotal Phase III, multi-center, double-masked, placebo-controlled study to assess its safety and efficacy in patients with eyelash hypotrichosis, in which all endpoints (improved eyelash prominence, length, thickness and darkness) were met. Bimatoprost, the active ingredient in LATISSE®, was first approved in 2001 as a medical product to lower intraocular pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Patients treated with bimatoprost for this specific eye condition experienced eyelash growth as a side effect. Given the existing and substantial clinical and post-marketing safety data with bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%, coupled with the positive results from the Phase III LATISSE® study, LATISSE® was approved by the FDA in December of 2008.

Important Information About LATISSE® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03%

LATISSE® solution is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker.

Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes.

Important Safety Information:

If you are using, or have used, prescription products for any eye pressure problems, only use LATISSE® under close doctor care.

LATISSE® use may cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely permanent. 

Eyelid skin darkening may occur which may be reversible.

Only apply at the base of the upper eyelashes.  DO NOT APPLY to the lower eyelid. Hair growth may occur in other skin areas that LATISSE® solution frequently touches. 

If you develop or experience any eye problems or have eye surgery, consult your doctor immediately about continued use of LATISSE®.

The most common side effects after using LATISSE® solution are itchy eyes and/or eye redness.

If discontinued, lashes will gradually return to their previous appearance.

Full prescribing information is available here.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is one of the world's leading children's charities, with 62 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 200,000 wishes in the United States. Visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish® with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

About Allergan, Inc.

Allergan is a multi-specialty health care company established more than 60 years ago with a commitment to uncover the best of science and develop and deliver innovative and meaningful treatments to help people reach their life's potential. Today, we have approximately 10,000 highly dedicated and talented employees, global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries, a rich and ever-evolving portfolio of pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices and over-the-counter consumer products, and state-of-the-art resources in R&D, manufacturing and safety surveillance that help millions of patients see more clearly, move more freely and express themselves more fully. From our beginnings as an eye care company to our focus today on several medical specialties, including eye care, neurosciences, medical aesthetics, medical dermatology, breast aesthetics, obesity intervention and urologics, Allergan is proud to celebrate 60 years of medical advances and proud to support the patients and physicians who rely on our products and the employees and communities in which we live and work.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements", including but not limited to the statements by Christina Hendricks regarding LATISSE® as well as other statements regarding research and development outcomes, safety, efficacy, adverse reactions and market and product potential. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from Allergan's expectations and projections. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, general industry and pharmaceutical market conditions; technological advances and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in the research and development and regulatory processes; challenges related to new product marketing, such as the unpredictability of market acceptance for new pharmaceutical products and/or the acceptance of new indications for such products; inconsistency of treatment results among patients; potential difficulties in manufacturing a new product; general economic conditions; and governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors can be found in Allergan's public periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading "Risk Factors" in Allergan's 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

© 2011 Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA 92612. ® marks owned by Allergan, Inc.
Make-A-Wish Foundation, Make-A-Wish and share the power of a wish are the marks of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

Emmy® is the trademark property of ATAS/NATAS.

SOURCE Allergan, Inc.