KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC

What KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC does

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2004 as a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing injectable aesthetic treatments. Its sole asset is KYBELLA® (deoxycholic acid injection 10 mg/mL), the first and only FDA-approved injectable treatment for moderate-to-severe submental fat (double chin) in adults. The active ingredient is synthetic deoxycholic acid — a cytolytic agent that, when injected into subcutaneous fat, permanently destroys adipocytes (fat cells) in the submental area. The treatment is administered by trained healthcare professionals as a series of up to six single-treatment sessions spaced at least one month apart, using an area-adjusted dose of 2 mg/cm² with up to 50 injections of 0.2 mL each per session.

KYTHERA was acquired by Allergan plc in 2015 for approximately $2.1 billion and subsequently became part of AbbVie Inc. when AbbVie acquired Allergan in 2020 for approximately $63 billion. KYBELLA® is now marketed by Allergan Sales, LLC, an AbbVie company, and the original KYTHERA entity no longer operates as an independent corporation. The product is sold exclusively through Allergan's trained-HCP network — dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aesthetic practitioners who must complete certification and account setup before administering treatment. End patients are reached through a direct-to-consumer website (mykybella.com), an HCP portal (hcp.mykybella.com), and the cross-portfolio Alle loyalty program. Geographic operations are US-only, and the current reported headcount of 14 reflects the residual corporate shell rather than the full Allergan/AbbVie team supporting the brand.

Name

KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC

Legal name

KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC

Website

https://mykybella.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, founded in 2004, developed KYBELLA®, the first FDA-approved injectable treatment for submental fat (double chin) using synthetic deoxycholic acid. Acquired by Allergan in 2015 and now operated as part of AbbVie's aesthetics portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Prescription Drug Sales: KYBELLA® is sold as a prescription medicine in vials for administration by healthcare professionals. The product is supplied as a pack of 4 single-patient-use 2-mL vials. Revenue is generated through healthcare provider purchases who then administer treatments to patients. Treatment can include up to 6 sessions, with each session using up to 10 mL.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals developed and commercializes KYBELLA® (deoxycholic acid injection 10 mg/mL), the first and only FDA-approved injectable prescription medicine for the treatment of moderate to severe submental fat ("double chin") in adults. The product is administered exclusively by trained healthcare professionals as a series of up to 6 treatment sessions spaced at least one month apart, using an area-adjusted dosing protocol that permanently destroys fat cells in the submental region.

Product overview

KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS offers KYBELLA®, a single prescription pharmaceutical product. KYBELLA® (deoxycholic acid injection 10 mg/mL) is an individually tailored injectable treatment that permanently destroys fat cells under the chin to improve the patient's profile. The product is administered by trained healthcare specialists through multiple injections per treatment session, with treatment plans customized based on the amount of submental fat and patient aesthetic goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KYBELLA® (deoxycholic acid injection): The first and only FDA-approved injectable treatment for moderate to severe submental fat (double chin) in adults. Administered as a series of up to 6 treatments, permanently destroying fat cells under the chin.

Products and services

• KYBELLA® (deoxycholic acid) injection 10 mg/mL KYBELLA® is a prescription medicine containing synthetic deoxycholic acid used in adults to improve the appearance and profile of moderate to severe submental fat ("double chin"). It is administered by trained healthcare professionals (dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aesthetic practitioners) through a series of small injections, with up to 6 treatments spaced at least one month apart, permanently destroying fat cells in the treatment area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of KYBELLA® subjects had improved satisfaction with appearance of area beneath their chin 12 weeks after last treatment vs 33.6% placebo
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Allē Loyalty ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAllē is the official loyalty program for KYBELLA® and other Allergan Aesthetics products. Patients earn points on KYBELLA® treatments and can redeem rewards toward qualifying treatments and products. The program drives patient retention and provides savings opportunities while increasing treatment adherence and repeat visits.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BTL Industries: Manufacturer of non-invasive body contouring and muscle-building devices (EmSculpt, Emtone). Comparable as a non-surgical alternative to KYBELLA for fat reduction and body shaping in aesthetics practices.
• Evolus: Aesthetic-focused company commercializing Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA). Comparable as a pure-play aesthetics injectable company competing for the same physician accounts and consumer demand pool.
• Merz Aesthetics: Aesthetics arm of Merz offering injectables (Belotero, Radiesse) and energy-based devices (Ultherapy). Closely comparable to KYBELLA as a physician-administered facial aesthetics portfolio targeting the same dermatology and plastic surgery accounts.
• Galderma: Global aesthetics leader offering Restylane fillers, Sculptra biostimulator, and Dysport toxin. Directly comparable as a specialty aesthetics company selling physician-administered injectable products through dermatology and plastic surgery channels.
• Teoxane: Swiss developer of HA-based dermal fillers (RHA line) sold internationally. Comparable as a physician-administered injectable aesthetics company competing in the same facial rejuvenation segment as KYBELLA.
• Sinclair Pharma: Aesthetics-focused company with HA fillers (MaiLi) and biostimulators (Lanluma, Ellansé). Comparable as a specialty aesthetics injectable company serving physicians and medical spas.
• Croma-Pharma: Austrian aesthetics company offering HA fillers (Princess line), biostimulators and ophthalmic products. Comparable as a specialty injectable aesthetics company selling through physicians and aesthetic practitioners.
• Hugel: Korean aesthetics and therapeutics company with botulinum toxin and HA filler lines sold globally. Comparable as a specialty aesthetics injectable company targeting dermatologists and aesthetic practitioners.
• InMode: Developer of energy-based devices for body contouring, fat reduction, and skin tightening (e.g., BodyTite, Morpheus8). Comparable as a competing modality for submental fat reduction targeting the same aesthetics consumer.
• Revance Therapeutics: Aesthetic biopharmaceutical company behind DAXXIFY (long-acting neuromodulator) and the RHA Collection of fillers. Comparable as a science-driven injectable aesthetics company commercializing premium, differentiated physician-administered products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8fli9BALcHyogMvTw5Yjqg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kythera-biopharmaceuticals-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KYTHERA BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC