The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Xiaflex injection to treat a hand disease that causes “bent” fingers.
Xiaflex is designed to treat Dupuytren’s disease, a disorder caused by the buildup of an abnormal amount of collagen in hands. The collagen builds nodules in the palm of the hand, which eventually causes an internal rope-like cord to form and grow into the fingers causing them to be “bent” and unable to extend.