A Study of NT 201 Doses in the Treatment of Platysma Prominence (PAOLA)

October 16, 2026 updated by: Merz Aesthetics GmbH

A Prospective, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of NT 201 Doses in the Treatment of Platysma Prominence

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of NT 201 in adults with moderate to severe platysma prominence.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
73

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20037
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010170
    • Florida
      • Aventura, Florida, United States, 33180
        • Merz Investigational Site #0010453
      • Coral Gables, Florida, United States, 33143
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010470
    • Louisiana
      • Metairie, Louisiana, United States, 70006
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010105
    • New Jersey
      • Verona, New Jersey, United States, 07044
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010471
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10022
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010469
      • New York, New York, United States, 10028
        • Merz Investigation Site #0010405

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of four (medial and lateral, left and right) prominent platysmal bands
  • Moderate to severe platysmal bands as assessed by the investigator and subject on the MAPS-D at maximum contraction

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any serious disease or disorder (medical or psychiatric) that could interfere with the safe completion of treatment or compromise subject safety
  • Botulinum toxin treatment in the face (below the lower orbital rim), neck, or chest within the last 12 months prior to study treatment
  • History of lower face surgery, neck or chest surgery, aesthetic procedures (e.g., ablative skin resurfacing, laser, chemical peel, micro-focused ultrasound, deoxycholic acid injections, micro-needling, non-surgical fat reduction procedure), and orthodontic procedures (e.g., braces) in the 12 months prior to study treatment
  • Previous use of any permanent (non-biodegradable) or semi-permanent (e.g., calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-L-lactic acid, polymethyl methacrylate, etc.) facial tissue augmentation therapy, lifting sutures, permanent implants or autologous fat to the lower face (i.e., below the level of the bottom of the nose), neck, or chest within 24 months prior to study treatment
  • Previous use of any hyaluronic acid based or collagen based biodegradable facial tissue augmentation therapy to the lower face (i.e., below the level of the bottom of the nose), neck, or chest within 12 months prior to study treatment
  • Any medical condition that may put the subject at increased risk with exposure to botulinum toxin of any serotype, including myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton-Syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or any other disorder that might interfere with neuromuscular function
  • Female of childbearing potential not using a highly effective method of birth control, planning to get pregnant, or pregnant or lactating

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: NT 201 Dose 1

Subjects will receive Dose 1.
Drug: NT 201

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A (150 kiloDalton [kD], free of complexing proteins) powder for solution for injection.

Other Names:
  • IncobotulinumtoxinA
  • Xeomin/Bocouture
  • Xeomin Cosmetic
  • Xeomeen
Experimental: NT 201 Dose 2

Subjects will receive Dose 2.
Drug: NT 201

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A (150 kiloDalton [kD], free of complexing proteins) powder for solution for injection.

Other Names:
  • IncobotulinumtoxinA
  • Xeomin/Bocouture
  • Xeomin Cosmetic
  • Xeomeen
Experimental: NT 201 Dose 3

Subjects will receive Dose 3.
Drug: NT 201

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A (150 kiloDalton [kD], free of complexing proteins) powder for solution for injection.

Other Names:
  • IncobotulinumtoxinA
  • Xeomin/Bocouture
  • Xeomin Cosmetic
  • Xeomeen
Placebo Comparator: Placebo

Subjects will receive matching placebo.
Drug: NT 201 Placebo

NT 201 Matching-placebo.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change From Baseline on the Merz Aesthetic Platysma Scale-Dynamic (MAPS-D) Score at Maximum Contraction as Assessed Live by the Investigator at Week 2
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2

The platysma area was assessed live by the investigator at maximum contraction and graded according to the validated five-point MAPS-D. Scores ranged from Grade 1 (none to minimal) to Grade 5 (very severe). The higher score indicated severe outcomes, and a negative change indicated improvements.
Baseline and Week 2

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change From Baseline on the MAPS-D Score at Maximum Contraction as Assessed by the Subject at Week 2
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 2

The platysma area was assessed live by the subject at maximum contraction and graded according to the validated five-point MAPS-D. Scores ranged from Grade 1 (none to minimal) to Grade 5 (very severe). The higher score indicated severe outcomes, and a negative change indicated improvements.
Baseline and Week 2
Number of Subjects With Related Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs)
Time Frame: From first dose of study drug up to Week 17

TEAEs were defined as adverse events (AEs) with onset or worsening on or after date of first dose of study treatment. An TEAE was considered to be "related" to IP(s) if a causal relationship between the IP(s) and an TEAE was at least a reasonable possibility (i.e., the relationship cannot be ruled out).
From first dose of study drug up to Week 17

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Merz Aesthetics GmbH

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Merz Medical Expert, Merz North America, Inc.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 22, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 19, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 24, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 6, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 6, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 17, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • M602011078

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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