Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) for multiple sclerosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Dysport for use in adults for the treatment of upper limb spasticity in 2015, and for lower limb spasticity in 2017. In children, those approvals came in 2020 and 2016, respectively. The medication was first approved by the FDA in 2009 to treat wrinkles across the forehead, called glabellar lines, and for involuntary neck muscle spasms, known as cervical dystonia.

While Dysport has not been well studied in pregnant people, animal studies suggest that it can cause harm to a developing fetus. The medication should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit to the patient outweighs the risk to the fetus. Patients on Dysport who become or plan to become pregnant should discuss this topic with their healthcare team.

Because alcohol can thin the blood, which may increase the risk of bruising when receiving Dysport injections, patients should generally avoid alcohol for at least one or two days after each treatment. Patients are advised to talk to their healthcare provider about safe alcohol use under their treatment regimen.

In clinical trials, some patients experienced a reduction in spasticity about one week after treatment with Dysport. However, because Dysport doses and the targeted muscles are tailored to a person’s individual needs, there can be a lot of variability in the time the medication takes to produce evident benefits. 

Neither hair loss nor weight gain were reported as side effects of Dysport in clinical trials. Patients experiencing these issues are advised to discuss them with their healthcare team.