Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc stated that two doses of its drug to smoothen cellulite were statistically significant in a mid-stage study, according to Reuters.
Auxilium reported that 68% of the patients given a mid and high dose of CCH, already marketed as Xiaflex to treat other conditions, were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the results of the drug compared with only 34% of patients given a placebo.
CCH is marketed in the United States to treat men with bothersome curvature of the penis, a condition known as Peyronie's disease, according to Newsmaxhealth.
As news that the drug can be used as cellulite treatment surfaces, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc's shares have increased nearly 8%. There are no FDA-approved cellulite treatments and there is little scientific evidence that any current over-the-counter treatments are beneficial, the company reportedly stated.
For those who have yet to experience it, cellulite causes dimpling of the skin, especially on women's hips and thighs and is reported in 85-98% of post-pubertal females. When someone experiences cellulite, their skin is losing its elasticity as the collagen cords that attach skin to muscle shrink.
When the fat in cellulite prone areas expands, the cords tether the skin, causing dimpling of the skin.
"Cellulite is a potentially large indication, and the data is encouraging enough to warrant continued study," Cowen and Company analyst Eric Schmidt wrote in a note.
