Nabota vs Jeuveau: industry sources report that the two are the same botulinum toxin type A made by Daewoong Pharmaceutical of South Korea, sold under different brand names in different markets. Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs) is the version FDA-approved in February 2019 and marketed by Evolus; Nabota is the Daewoong brand name used elsewhere. Regulatory status still depends on each country.
Key Takeaways
- Daewoong Pharmaceutical manufactures both the drug substance and drug product of Jeuveau, according to the FDA chemistry review.
- Nabota and Jeuveau are described by industry sources as the same product under different brand names; approval in one market does not automatically transfer to another.
- Jeuveau is a 900 kDa type A toxin complex supplied as a 100-unit vacuum-dried powder; units are not interchangeable with other brands.
- For distributors, the practical questions are batch authenticity, local registration and documented cold chain, not the brand name alone.
What Is the Difference Between Nabota and Jeuveau?
In practice, the difference is the brand name and the commercial partner, not the molecule. Daewoong developed the toxin in South Korea and sells it as Nabota; in the United States it is marketed by Evolus as Jeuveau.
The FDA's chemistry review for Jeuveau (application STN 761085, review dated January 2019) records the development code DWP-450 and lists Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as manufacturer of both drug substance and drug product, with Evolus, Inc. as the applicant. A clinic-oriented overview from a practitioner website describes Nabota as the same product sold in the United States as Jeuveau. We cite that as a secondary source: the FDA document itself does not use the name Nabota.
| Item | Jeuveau (US) | Nabota (Daewoong brand) |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs (botulinum toxin type A) | Botulinum toxin type A, same Daewoong product per industry sources |
| Manufacturer | Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (South Korea) | Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. |
| US applicant | Evolus, Inc. | Not applicable |
| FDA approval | February 2019, glabellar lines | Not an FDA brand name; check local registration |
| Vial (per FDA review) | 100 U, vacuum-dried powder, single use | Check label of the presentation received |
Is Nabota FDA Approved?
The FDA approved Jeuveau, not a product labelled Nabota. The approval covers temporary improvement of moderate-to-severe glabellar lines in adults under Evolus's application, with Daewoong as manufacturer.
That distinction matters for buyers. A distributor cannot assume that a vial bearing the Nabota name is cleared in a given country because Jeuveau holds a US approval. Each jurisdiction (for example a national medicines agency) grants its own authorisation to a specific product, importer and label. We have not verified Nabota's registration status in any particular country for this article, and readers should confirm it with their own regulator.
What Does Jeuveau's FDA Review Say About the Product?
The review describes Jeuveau as a purified 900 kDa type A neurotoxin complex produced by anaerobic fermentation of a Clostridium botulinum strain isolated from soil in South Korea.
- Presentation: 100 units of vacuum-dried powder in a single-use vial.
- Excipients: each vial contains 0.5 mg human albumin and 0.9 mg sodium chloride.
- Potency: expressed in LD50 units specific to the product.
- Shelf life: 36 months for the drug product stored as a dried powder at 2-8°C.
- Storage: unopened vials refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C in the original carton, protected from light; reconstituted product kept at 2-8°C and used within 24 hours; do not freeze.
These are Jeuveau label and review figures. Other Nabota presentations (such as 200-unit vials) should be handled according to their own labelling. For handling detail see our Nabota dosage, dilution and storage guide.
How Does Jeuveau Compare Clinically With Botox?
Published trials show prabotulinumtoxinA achieving glabellar-line responder rates comparable to onabotulinumtoxinA, but cross-trial numbers should not be read as a head-to-head ranking.
A 2021 systematic review in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy (Gadarowski et al.) of phase II and III trials reported responder rates at day 30 for the primary endpoint (more than a 2-point improvement on the Glabellar Line Scale at maximum frown) of 67.5% and 70.4% in two identical trials for prabotulinumtoxinA versus 1.2% and 1.3% for placebo. In a comparison cited in the same review, 87.2% of prabotulinumtoxinA patients improved at day 30 versus 82.8% for onabotulinumtoxinA and 4.2% for placebo. The review concluded that prabotulinumtoxinA was well tolerated across the studies.
Two cautions apply. First, trial endpoints and populations differ, and individual results vary. Second, units are not interchangeable: our article on Dysport vs Botox units explains why a fixed conversion ratio between brands is not safe to assume, and the same logic applies to Nabota.
What Should Distributors and Clinics Verify Before Buying Nabota?
Verify identity, registration and handling history before price. Brand-name confusion is a common entry point for grey-market and counterfeit product.
- Product identity: confirm manufacturer, brand, unit strength and lot number against the supplier's documents.
- Local registration: confirm that the product and presentation are authorised or legally importable in your country.
- Cold chain: request temperature records for shipment; unopened vials are labelled for 2-8°C storage.
- Packaging checks: follow a documented authenticity process, such as the one in our botulinum toxin counterfeit checklist.
- Supply continuity: read about availability pressures in our Nabota 200U supply guide.
Our Nabota wholesale sourcing guide covers the commercial side in more depth, and the Botulax guide compares another Korean toxin family from a different manufacturer, Hugel.
How Is Jeuveau Reconstituted and Dosed According to the FDA Review?
The FDA review describes a 100-unit vial reconstituted to 2.5 mL, with a recommended glabellar-line dose of 20 units in 0.5 mL of reconstituted solution.
That arithmetic reflects the Jeuveau label for the glabellar indication in adults. It is not a protocol for other indications, other brands or other presentations, and it should not be extrapolated. Reconstituted product is labelled for use within 24 hours when kept at 2-8°C, and any remaining solution is discarded after administration. Clinics should work from the label shipped with their own batch and their national guidance, and keep reconstitution records. Dilution choices vary between practitioners and regulators, so our Dysport reconstitution guide is useful mainly as an example of how a full handling table is structured, not as a source of Nabota figures.
Why Do Brand Names Create Confusion in Wholesale Sourcing?
One molecule can carry several brand names across markets, and each name can have a different regulatory file. A supplier quoting "Jeuveau-equivalent" or "FDA-approved Nabota" should be asked exactly which approval, which manufacturer site and which lot the statement refers to.
Reasonable questions include: Which authority approved this exact presentation? Who is the importer of record? Can the supplier show a certificate of analysis and shipment temperature logs? Answers should be in writing. If a supplier cannot answer, treat the offer with caution regardless of price. We have not verified Nabota's registration status in any individual country for this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nabota the same as Jeuveau?
Industry sources report that Nabota and Jeuveau are the same Daewoong-made prabotulinumtoxinA product sold under different brand names. The FDA review of Jeuveau lists Daewoong Pharmaceutical as the drug substance and drug product manufacturer, with Evolus as applicant. Buyers should still confirm product identity, lot and licensing for each specific batch.
Is Nabota FDA approved?
The FDA approved Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), manufactured by Daewoong for Evolus, in February 2019 for glabellar lines. That approval belongs to the Jeuveau BLA. Whether a particular Nabota vial is authorised in your own country depends on local regulators, so verify the national registration before importing or using it.
How many units are in a Nabota or Jeuveau vial?
The FDA review describes Jeuveau as a 100-unit vacuum-dried powder in a single-use vial, containing 0.5 mg human albumin and 0.9 mg sodium chloride. Nabota is commonly supplied in 100-unit and 200-unit presentations, but you should always check the label and registration of the exact presentation you receive.
Can I convert Nabota units to Botox units?
Botulinum toxin units are product-specific and are not interchangeable between brands, because potency assays differ. Clinical dosing should follow each product's own label and the practitioner's judgement. Do not apply a fixed conversion ratio between Nabota and other toxins without product-specific guidance from the manufacturer and regulator.
How should unopened Nabota or Jeuveau vials be stored?
The FDA review states that unopened Jeuveau vials are stored refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C in the original carton, protected from light, and not frozen. Reconstituted product should be used within 24 hours at 2°C to 8°C. For other presentations, follow the label supplied with that batch and maintain documented cold chain.
Conclusion
For professional buyers, the Nabota versus Jeuveau question is mostly about naming: the same Daewoong toxin is reported under two brands, but approvals, labels and legal import routes are market-specific. Documented authenticity and cold chain should drive every purchase. If you are a licensed clinic or distributor evaluating Korean toxins, you can send a wholesale inquiry to HolyPath and our team will share availability and documentation.
References
- FDA Chemistry Review, Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), STN 761085, January 2019
- Gadarowski MB et al. PrabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Glabellar Lines. Ann Pharmacother. 2021;55(3):354-361
- Nabota by Daewoong: Korea's First Botulinum Toxin to Enter the U.S. Market (practitioner website, secondary source)
This article is for informational purposes for licensed medical professionals and distributors. It is not medical advice. Treatments should be performed only by qualified practitioners in accordance with local regulations.