Allergan appoints European comms professionals

Allergan has appointed two new members to its corporate affairs and PR team for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

The company has recruited Julia Kendrick and Bahar Turkoglu from long-time PR partner Chandler Chicco Agency, with Ms Kendrick handling its medical aesthetics business and Ms Turkoglu managing the neuroscience and ophthalmology division.

Both will report directly to EU corporate affairs and PR director Janet Kettels and will be based in Allergan's UK office, reports PRWeek.

The pharmaceutical firm has created the two new roles as it seeks to increase focus on its medical aesthetics, neurosciences and ophthalmology business units and meet the strong demand for its high-profile product Botox.

Increasingly used as a medical treatment rather than for cosmetic purposes, the drug was approved as a therapy for chronic migraine pain in the EU last year.

Meanwhile, the Irish Medicines Board recently recommended the therapy as a treatment for idiopathic overactive bladder, as part of a wider European Mutual Recognition Procedure.