The Most Popular Botox Treatments in 2026.

At the beginning of 2026, Aimeike announced that its exclusively imported botulinum toxin type A for injection, manufactured by Huons BioPharma of South Korea, had officially received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China.

This announcement marks the completion of the "seven dragon balls" in the Chinese legitimate botulinum toxin market: from the "two-way competition" before 2020 (Botox and Hengli) to the current "seven-way battle," the supply landscape in this sector has undergone a fundamental reversal.

Currently, the "seven dragon balls" lineup is as follows:

High-end barrier: Botox (USA), Dysport (UK/France);

Mid-range competition: Letibotulinum (South Korea), Aimeike's new product (South Korea), Xeomin (Germany);

Mass market cornerstone: Hengli (China);

Technological variable: Daxxify (long-acting botulinum toxin).

Meanwhile, YY001, held by Huadong Medicine, is a strong contender to become the "eighth player," attempting to differentiate itself with the technological advantage of being the "world's first recombinant botulinum toxin."

Following closely behind, a crowded "reserve" team is also poised for action: Daewoong Pharmaceutical's Nabota is striving to secure its long-awaited entry into the compliant botulinum toxin market, while Haohai Biotech's AI-09 and ET-01 are directly betting on the liquid injection and topical application segments.

The capital market is also exceptionally active. On January 9th, NewRelay Capital exclusively led the investment in Revelyx, which focuses on developing the world's first recombinant botulinum toxin liquid formulation; on January 20th, Dejin Biotechnology, a recombinant botulinum toxin developer, completed a multi-million yuan Series A financing led by Honghui Fund.

As supply continues to increase, the sector with the highest regulatory barriers in the medical aesthetics industry is undergoing an unprecedented value revaluation in 2026.

Seven-way Battle

Looking back at the past six years, the crowding in the botulinum toxin market has increased almost exponentially. Before 2020, the compliant botulinum toxin market in China was largely dominated by a duopoly of Botox and Hengli: the former occupied the high-end market, attracting high-net-worth individuals with its brand premium; the latter dominated the mid-to-low-end market, capturing the mass market with its extreme cost-effectiveness.

This stable duopoly structure made botulinum toxin a highly profitable and reliable "cash cow" for medical aesthetics institutions.

However, this balance was completely disrupted at the beginning of 2026: with the entry of Aimeike's new product, the "Seven Dragon Balls" lineup in the Chinese compliant botulinum toxin market officially took shape.

It can be said that they represent a comprehensive collision of three completely different competitive dimensions.

First is the close combat among the "Korean contingent."

South Korea, as the country with the highest botulinum toxin penetration rate in the world, is known for its "high cost-effectiveness" products. Letibot, distributed by Sihuan Pharmaceutical, entered the Chinese market several years ago with the label of "number one market share in South Korea," quickly gaining traction among young people.

The product approved for Aimeike also originates from the well-known Korean pharmaceutical company Huons, and Aimeike had already invested 886 million yuan in 2021 to acquire a portion of Huons' equity, deeply binding itself to the upstream supply chain.

This move means that Aimeike is not only a distributor but also half of the "original manufacturer," and its pricing strategy and supply chain responsiveness are likely to be more aggressive than Letibot.

The upcoming head-to-head competition between these two "Korean" players will likely directly disrupt the price range of the mid-range market.

Secondly, there is the brand defense battle of the "European and American established brands."

In the "Seven Dragon Balls" lineup, Botox (USA), Dysport (UK/France), and Xeomin (Germany) constitute the defense line for the high-end and mid-to-high-end markets.

For a long time, Botox has almost been synonymous with botulinum toxin, enjoying extremely high doctor recognition and a reputation for precision. However, in 2026, this moat is facing a serious challenge.

When competing products appear on the market with prices only half or even one-third of theirs, but with no significant differences in clinical effects, the established European and American brands will have to face a process of "demythification." They will no longer be able to simply rely on the prestige of being "imported" to easily succeed, but must instead secure their position at the top of the market through more rigorous doctor training and the expansion into more advanced indications (such as Zimmer's exploration in the field of body contouring).

For example, as a representative of German craftsmanship, Zimmer's strategy after joining the "mid-range competition" is particularly crucial – whether it maintains its high-end German image or engages in fierce competition will determine its position in 2026.

Finally, there is the differentiated breakthrough through technological innovation.