Christina Hendricks Kicks Off the Latisse® Wishes Challenge with the Goal of Raising $500,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®

IRVINE, Calif., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN), the maker of LATISSE® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03%, announced today the launch of the 2011 LATISSE® Wishes Challenge. Inspired by the tradition of blowing on an eyelash to make wishes come true, the campaign is gaining momentum for the second year by rallying women in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, a nonprofit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. LATISSE® user and Emmy-nominated actress Christina Hendricks is encouraging women to join her to help raise $500,000 so a wish can be granted in every Make-A-Wish® chapter across the country. LATISSE® is 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).

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Consumers can participate in the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge by donating a minimum of $20 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation through the campaign's website, www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com. LATISSE® will double all donations up to $250,000 until November 30, 2011. In addition to helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the first 10,000 participants making the minimum donation will receive a LATISSE® free trial certificate, which they can take to a doctor to determine if LATISSE® is right for them. And, if participants invite two friends to join them in the campaign, they will also receive a $20 rebate off their next purchase of LATISSE®. Hendricks is also sharing her experience growing her lashes with LATISSE® throughout the campaign, since her doctor determined it is right for her.

"I've always felt my lashes were short and thin, and in my profession, I wear a lot of false lashes and makeup, which take a toll. So when LATISSE® became available, I was curious to learn more. My doctor talked with me about lashes, and I was surprised to learn that some women with inadequate lashes may notice their lashes thinning over time. Since I had always thought about aging in terms of wrinkles, I was surprised to learn that some women may notice them become thinner, shorter and less dark as they age. Women who notice these changes in their lashes now have the option to talk to their doctor about LATISSE® and see if it's right for them," said Hendricks.

"LATISSE® is also a brand that contributes to children, and I couldn't think of a better cause to support than the Make-A-Wish Foundation. When I was seven years old, I saw firsthand the difference a wish can make in the life of a child when a girl in my class got her wish to meet Erik Estrada."

"The support generated by campaigns such as the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge has been invaluable in helping the Foundation grant the wishes of children nationwide," said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. "For brave children like Isaac, who wished to meet a pirate and dig for buried treasure, and Sydney, who wished to swim like a mermaid in a lagoon in Bora Bora, a wish experience helps them feel stronger and more able to battle their illnesses. We encourage everyone to join the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge to help us grant the wishes of even more children and improve the quality of life for them and their families."

"Allergan is proud to continue its commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In just two years, LATISSE® and the women across the country who use it have raised nearly $1.5 million to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant children's wishes," said David Pyott, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allergan, Inc. "Women appreciate supporting a brand that gives back and that may also provide a solution for themselves. Through the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge, women will join Hendricks to support a wonderful cause and learn more about LATISSE® to see if it is right for them."

Join the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation and learn more about LATISSE® at www.LatisseWishesChallenge.com. Visit the website often to track the campaign's progress in raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, learn more about some of the children whose wishes have been granted, follow Hendricks' experience as she grows her lashes with LATISSE®, and upload your own LATISSE® lash photos. Please note that all photos are subject to approval before they can be shared in the gallery. You can also stay connected to the LATISSE® Wishes Challenge on Twitter via @WishesChallenge and on Facebook.

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 64 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. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

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 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 more than 9,000 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 ophthalmology, 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 the statements by Christina Hendricks, David Pyott and David Williams, and other statements relating to the safety and efficacy of LATISSE®. 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 market conditions; technological advances and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in the research and development and regulatory processes; challenges related to product marketing, such as the unpredictability of market acceptance for new products and/or the acceptance of new indications for such products; inconsistency of treatment results among patients and the potential for product failures; potential difficulties in manufacturing new products; general economic conditions; and governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations. Allergan expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required to do so by law.

Additional information concerning these and other risk factors can be found in press releases issued by Allergan, as well as 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 Form 10-K and Allergan's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011. Copies of Allergan's press releases and additional information about Allergan is available on the World Wide Web at www.allergan.com or you can contact the Allergan Investor Relations Department by calling (714) 246-4636.

© 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.

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SOURCE Allergan, Inc.