Peyronie’s disease is a disorder where scar tissue forms in the soft tissue of the penis. This plaque most commonly results in curvature or indentation and can also lead to erectile dysfunction, pain and loss of length. In the past, treatments for the condition consisted of either surgery which was unappealing to men or vitamin E treatment which was mostly unsuccessful.
In 2011 to 2013, the Keogh Institute under the direction of Auxilium Pharmaceuticals ran a study on Peyronie’s disease. The study was considered successful with 75% of men with the condition having a clinically meaningful improvement in curvature.
The medication is now commercially available in the U.S., having been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Peyronie’s disease in December 2013. It is now commercially available in the U.S. There are hopes that this approval will one day extend to Australia.
Men with Peyronie’s disease may also be interested to know that the medication is approved in Australia for the treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture which frequently co-occurs with Peyronie’s disease.