US FDA approves first drug treatment for Peyronie’s disease

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for US company Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: AUXL) Xiaflex (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) as the first FDA-approved medicine to treat men with bothersome curvature of the penis, a condition known as Peyronie’s disease.

Xiaflex is the first FDA-approved non-surgical treatment option for men with this condition, who have a plaque (lump) in the penis that results in a curvature deformity of at least 30 degrees upon erection. The drug is already approved for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture.

Peyronie’s disease is caused by scar tissue that develops under the skin of the penis. This scar tissue causes an abnormal bend during erection and can cause problems such as bothersome symptoms during intercourse.