Botulinum toxins — a.k.a. botox — have a variety of uses in medicine: to treat muscle overactivity in overactive bladder, to correct misalignment of the eyes in strabismus, for neck spasms in cervical dystonia, and more. Two botulinum toxins, types A and B, are FDA-approved and widely used. Although they are safe and effective, the toxins can drift away from the site of injection, reducing efficacy and causing side effects.
New research at Boston Children’s Hospital finds that some small engineering tweaks to botox B could make it more effective and longer-lasting with fewer side effects. The findings were reported recently in PLOS Biology.