On Apr. 29, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had approved Kybella, an injection for “double chin” reduction, developed by Kythera Biopharmaceuticals.

Kybella is a formulation of synthetically-derived deoxycholic acid, which destroys fat under the chin, leaving surrounding tissue largely unaffected. The FDA said patients can get up to 50 injections in one sitting, but treatments should be at least one month apart and patients should get no more than six injections.

The drug is a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, a chemical the FDA said is naturally produced by the body and helps it absorb fats. It destroys fat cells by breaking down the cell membrane. The agency says patients can get up to 50 injections in one sitting, but treatments should be at least one month apart and patients should get no more than six.

Kythera plans to start selling Kybella in the second half of 2015, and said in regulatory filings that it thinks the injection could top $500 million in annual sales.

The Westlake, California, company said deoxycholic acid is a safe ingredient found in several other approved drugs. It has also filed for marketing approval in Australia, Canada and Switzerland and wants to market the drug in other countries.