Contact Information: For More Information, Contact: James E. Fickenscher CFO Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (484) 321-5900 William Q. Sargent Jr. VP IR Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (484) 321-5926
Auxilium Submits Biologics License Application for XIAFLEX(TM) for the Treatment of Dupuytren's Contracture to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
| Source: Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
MALVERN, PA--(Marketwire - March 2, 2009) - Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ : AUXL ),
a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has
submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for XIAFLEX™ (clostridial collagenase for
injection), a novel, first-in-class, orphan-designated biologic for the
treatment of Dupuytren's contracture.
"This BLA submission is a significant regulatory milestone for XIAFLEX,"
said Armando Anido, Chief Executive Officer and President of Auxilium.
"There currently are no approved non-surgical treatments available for
Dupuytren's contracture, which can be a debilitating disease that often
affects patients' quality of life. We believe that XIAFLEX, if approved,
would be the non-surgical treatment choice for the management of
Dupuytren's contracture and could meaningfully improve the lives of
patients diagnosed with the disease. We look forward to working with the
FDA as it reviews the XIAFLEX application."
The BLA submission is based on data from a total of 1082 treated
Dupuytren's contracture patients and over 2600 injections of XIAFLEX.
Auxilium has requested Priority Review designation for this BLA submission
from the FDA. The Company expects to hear back from the FDA on Priority
Review designation within approximately 60 days from the filing date. If
granted, the FDA, per Prescription Drug User Fee Act guidelines, has up to
six months from submission date to take action on the BLA. Priority Review
may be granted to drug products that provide treatment when no approved
pharmacological treatments exist for a disease.
About Dupuytren's Contracture
Dupuytren's contracture is a condition that affects the connective tissue
that lies beneath the skin in the palm. The disease is progressive in
nature. Typically, nodules develop in the palm as collagen deposits
accumulate. As the disease progresses, the collagen deposits form a cord
that stretches from the palm of the hand to the base of the finger. Once
this cord develops, the patient's fingers contract and the function of the
hand is impaired. Currently, surgery is the only effective treatment. The
incidence of Dupuytren's contracture is highest in Caucasians, historically
those of Northern European descent, with a global prevalence of three to
six percent of the Caucasian population.(1) Most cases of Dupuytren's
contracture occur in patients older than 50 years and a hereditary
component exists in approximately 40% of patients.(2,3)
The most frequently affected parts of the hand associated with Dupuytren's
contracture are the joints called the Metacarpal-Phalangeal Joint, or MP
joint, which is the joint closest to the palm of the hand and the Proximal
Intra-Phalangeal Joint, or the PIP joint, which is the middle joint in the
finger. The little finger and ring finger are most frequently involved and
about half of patients have bilateral disease.(2,3) There are currently no
drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Dupuytren's
contracture, which is treated primarily by an open surgical procedure.
(1) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00008
(2) Badalamente, M. A., Hurst, L. C. et al., Collagen as a Clinical Target:
Nonoperative Treatment of Dupuytren's Disease, The Journal of Hand Surgery,
(2002;27A:788-798)
(3) Tubiana, R. Dupuytren's Disease. London: Martin Dunitz Ltd, 2006
About Auxilium
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty biopharmaceutical company
with a focus on developing and marketing to urologists, endocrinologists,
orthopedists and select primary care physicians. Auxilium markets
Testim® 1%, a topical testosterone gel, for the treatment of hypogonadism
through its approximately 190-person sales and marketing team. Auxilium
has five projects in clinical development. XIAFLEX™ (clostridial
collagenase for injection), formerly referred to as AA4500, has completed
phase III clinical trials for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture, is
in phase IIb of development for the treatment of Peyronie's disease and is
in phase II of development for treatment of Frozen Shoulder syndrome
(Adhesive Capsulitis). Auxilium's transmucosal film product candidate for
the treatment of overactive bladder (AA4010) is in phase I of development.
Auxilium also has one pain product (fentanyl) using its transmucosal film
delivery system in phase I of development. Auxilium has rights to
additional pain products and products for hormone replacement and urologic
disease using its transmucosal film delivery system. The Company is
currently seeking a partner to further develop these transmucosal film
product candidates. Auxilium also has options to all indications using
XIAFLEX for non-topical formulations. For additional information, visit
http://www.auxilium.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF
1995
This release contains "forward-looking-statements" within the meaning of
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements
regarding the granting of priority review for the biologics license
application for XIAFLEX for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the timing of such priority review,
if granted; the potential benefits and effectiveness of XIAFLEX for
Dupuytren's contracture; the number of people suffering from Dupuytren's
contracture; products in development for Peyronie's disease, Frozen
Shoulder syndrome, overactive bladder, pain, hormone replacement and
urologic disease; and all other statements containing projections,
statements of future performance or expectations, or statements of plans or
objectives for future operations (including statements of assumption
underlying or relating to any of the foregoing). You can identify these
statements by the fact that they use words such as "believe," "appears,"
"may," "could," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend,"
"should," "plan," "expect," and other words and terms of similar meaning in
connection with any discussion of projections, future performance or
expectations, plans or objectives for future operations (including
statements of assumption underlying or relating to any of the foregoing).
Actual results may differ materially from those reflected in these
forward-looking statements due to various factors, including further
evaluation of clinical data, results of clinical trials, decisions by
regulatory authorities as to whether and when to approve drug applications,
and general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions
affecting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries and those
discussed in Auxilium's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2008 under the heading "Risk Factors," which is on file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and may be accessed
electronically by means of the SEC's home page on the Internet at
http://www.sec.gov or by means of Auxilium's home page on the Internet at
http://www.Auxilium.com under the heading "Investor Relations -- SEC
Filings." There may be additional risks that Auxilium does not presently
know or that Auxilium currently believes are immaterial which could also
cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking
statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these
forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should
not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements.
In addition, forward-looking statements provide Auxilium's expectations,
plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this
release. Auxilium anticipates that subsequent events and developments will
cause Auxilium's assessments to change. However, while Auxilium may elect
to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future,
Auxilium specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing
Auxilium's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this
release.