Endo Launches 'Steve's Journey,' the First Branded Dupuytren's Contracture Commercial for XIAFLEX® (collagenase clostridium histolyticum)
Commercial features a real patient—who was an untreated patient in a prior Endo video series—and his wife, sharing their personal experience with the condition and the patient's treatment with XIAFLEX®.
Dupuytren's contracture is a progressive hand condition affecting an estimated 17 million Americans, making it likely that most people know someone who has been impacted.
MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 17, 2025 /CNW/ -- Endo, Inc. (OTCQX: NDOI) announced today the launch of its new branded television commercial, Steve's Journey. The campaign, featuring a real Dupuytren's contracture patient, encourages patients to consult a hand specialist and ask about XIAFLEX® (collagenase clostridium histolyticum), the only FDA-approved nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren's contracture.
Dupuytren's contracture is a progressive hand condition in which a collagen rope-like cord forms beneath the skin of the palm, pulling fingers inward toward the palm.1,2 It affects an estimated 17 million Americans.3,4*
'Those with the best understanding of Dupuytren's contracture are patients who have faced similar challenges and uncertainties,' said Justin Mattice, Vice President & General Manager, Branded Specialty at Endo. 'By spotlighting authentic experiences like Steve's, we are emboldening patients to connect with a hand specialist and ask for nonsurgical XIAFLEX®, positioning them as knowledgeable decision makers.'
Do not receive XIAFLEX® if you have had an allergic reaction to collagenase clostridium histolyticum or any of the ingredients in XIAFLEX®, or to any other collagenase product. Please note that, receiving an injection of XIAFLEX® may cause damage to a tendon or ligament in your hand and cause it to break or weaken.
Steve's Sequel
This isn't Steve's first time in the spotlight. Endo's Coffee & Cords video series featured five patients at different points in their treatment journeys, and Steve lent his perspective as an untreated Dupuytren's contracture sufferer. After Coffee & Cords wrapped, Steve chose to get treated with XIAFLEX®.
Steve's Journey revisits Steve's experience with the condition, and it highlights his treatment and recovery. The campaign also incorporates the partner perspective by including Steve's wife, Gisele.
'Endo is passionate about using firsthand experiences to amplify the voices of real-life patients,' noted Dayna Sracic, Executive Director, Consumer Marketing at Endo. 'By sharing these powerful, personal stories, we believe we can inspire and educate others regarding Dupuytren's contracture and nonsurgical treatment with XIAFLEX®.'
Insights-Driven Campaign
Endo's own research and consumer insights show many Dupuytren's contracture patients delay treatment due to concerns about surgery, often adapting to the condition instead.5†
The branded approach puts patients in the driver's seat, giving them the knowledge and product name for a nonsurgical option. Endo's research indicates that Dupuytren's contracture patients that ask for XIAFLEX® by name receive the medication more than half of the time.
Patient-Centric Campaign Creative
The commercial opens with a close-up of Steve's hand, as he and Gisele describe how Dupuytren's contracture made everyday tasks difficult. The scene transitions to them holding hands, with Steve—now treated with XIAFLEX®—expressing how much he missed this simple intimacy with his wife. Additional shots show Steve's hands-on approach to life: working on a laptop, placing his hand flat on a table, flexing it while driving, and enjoying outdoor activities with Gisele.
These moments demonstrate how XIAFLEX® has helped Steve regain the freedom to live life on his own terms. Through Steve's Journey, Endo aims to help more Americans living with Dupuytren's contracture by showcasing the outcomes of patients who have completed their nonsurgical treatment journey with XIAFLEX®.
Underscoring the desire of many patients to lead a hands-on life, the campaign drives to HandsOnLife.com.
Watch the commercial.
Media Buy
The 60-second spot will air during a variety of programming, including news, sports (e.g., NASCAR and NCAA basketball), and popular TV series across networks (e.g., Survivor and Matlock), as well as on cable channels (e.g., History and Discovery), on streaming services like Hulu and Amazon, and online.
About Dupuytren's Contracture
Dupuytren's contracture is a lifelong condition that may get worse over time. It's caused by a buildup of collagen in the hand, which forms a rope-like cord that pulls fingers toward the palm so they can't be straightened. As Dupuytren's contracture progresses, it may become difficult for individuals to use their hand(s) for daily tasks and activities.1,2
WHAT IS XIAFLEX®?
XIAFLEX is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with Dupuytren's contracture when a 'cord' can be felt. It is not known if XIAFLEX is safe and effective in children under the age of 18.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR XIAFLEX
Do not receive XIAFLEX if you have had an allergic reaction to collagenase clostridium histolyticum or any of the ingredients in XIAFLEX, or to any other collagenase product. See the end of the Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in XIAFLEX.
XIAFLEX can cause serious side effects, including:
Tendon rupture or ligament damage. Receiving an injection of XIAFLEX may cause damage to a tendon or ligament in your hand and cause it to break or weaken. This could require surgery to fix the damaged tendon or ligament. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have trouble bending your injected finger (towards the wrist) after the swelling goes down or you have problems using your treated hand after your follow-up visit
Nerve injury or other serious injury of the hand. After finger procedures, some people developed tears in the skin (lacerations), and local skin and soft-tissue necrosis (death of skin cells). Some lacerations and necrosis required skin grafting, or other surgery including amputation. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get numbness, tingling, increased pain, or tears in the skin (laceration) in your treated finger or hand after your injection or after your follow-up visit
Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis. Severe allergic reactions can happen in people who receive XIAFLEX because it contains foreign proteins. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms of an allergic reaction after an injection of XIAFLEX:
hives
swollen face
breathing trouble
chest pain
low blood pressure
dizziness or fainting
Fainting. Fainting (passing out) or near fainting can happen in people who receive XIAFLEX, especially following finger procedures
If you have dizziness or feel faint after receiving XIAFLEX, lie down until the symptoms go away.
Increased chance of bleeding. Bleeding or bruising at the injection site can happen in people who receive XIAFLEX. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have a problem with your blood clotting. XIAFLEX may not be right for you.
Before receiving XIAFLEX, tell your healthcare provider if you have had an allergic reaction to a previous XIAFLEX injection, or have a bleeding problem or any other medical conditions. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using XIAFLEX with certain other medicines can cause serious side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take medicines to thin your blood (anticoagulants). If you are told to stop taking a blood thinner before your XIAFLEX injection, your healthcare provider should tell you when to restart the blood thinner. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of these medicines if you are unsure.
The most common side effects with XIAFLEX for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture include:
swelling of the injection site or the hand
bruising or bleeding at the injection site
pain or tenderness of the injection site or the hand
swelling of the lymph nodes (glands) in the elbow or armpit
itching
breaks in the skin
redness or warmth of the skin
pain in the armpit
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects with XIAFLEX. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Rx Only
Click for full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.
About Endo
Endo is a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company boldly transforming insights into life-enhancing therapies. Our passionate team members collaborate to develop and deliver these essential medicines. Together, we are committed to helping everyone we serve live their best life. Learn more at www.endo.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the statements by Mr. Mattice and Ms. Sracic and any statements relating to product efficacy, potential treatments or indications, therapeutic outcomes or treatment responses, and any statements that refer to expected, estimated or anticipated future results or that do not relate solely to historical facts. Statements including words such as 'believes,' 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'intends,' 'estimates,' 'plan,' 'will,' 'may,' 'look forward,' 'intends,' 'guidance,' 'future,' 'potential' or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Because these statements reflect Endo's current views, expectations and beliefs concerning future events, they involve risks and uncertainties, some of which Endo may not currently be able to predict. Although Endo believes that these forward-looking statements and other information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, readers should not place undue reliance on these or any other forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from current expectations based on a number of factors, including, among other things, the following: changes in competitive, market or regulatory conditions; changes in legislation or regulations; the ability to obtain and maintain adequate protection for intellectual property rights; the impacts of competition; the timing and uncertainty of the results of the research and development and the regulatory processes; health care and cost containment reforms, including government pricing, tax and reimbursement policies; litigation and other disputes; consumer and physician acceptance of current and new products; the performance of third parties upon whom we rely for goods and services; issues associated with our supply chain; the ability to develop and expand our product pipeline, to launch new products and to continue to develop the market for our products; and the effectiveness of advertising and other promotional campaigns. Endo assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Additional information concerning risk factors, including those referenced above, can be found in press releases issued by Endo and in Endo's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading 'Risk Factors' in Endo's most recent Form 10-Q and in Endo's final prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with Endo's Form S-1/A.
*Dupuytren's contracture prevalence estimation calculation: average Dupuytren's contracture prevalence in the US (5%) multiplied by US population (332 million per 2021 US Census data) = ~17 million.
†Data sourced from 2024 consumer market research based on a web-based survey of 200 adults who were either diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture or believe they have Dupuytren's contracture based on a detailed description of symptoms.
References
Hurst, LC, Badalamente, MA, et al. New England Journal of Medicine.2009;361(10),968-979.
Bayat, A, McGrouther, DA. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2006;88(1),3-8.
'How common is Dupuytren disease?' Dupuytren Research Group. April 1, 2017. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://dupuytrens.org/faq
'U.S. and world population clock.' U.S. Census Bureau. Updated April 13, 2023. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://www.census.gov/popclock
'Dupuytren's contracture consumer awareness trial usage online survey report.' Endo USA, Inc. 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
What the Future of Medicaid and Medicare Could Look Like
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On this day 60 years ago, the Medicaid and Medicare programs were signed into law by former President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was July 30, 1965, and both programs were established within the Social Security Act. Designed as federal programs to assist the elderly, disabled individuals and those with low income, both have grown into the largest sources of health care coverage in the country. Tens of millions of Americans rely on the programs, and they have protected the country's most vulnerable populations for over six decades now. Before the programs were established, around half of all Americans over 65 had no means of medical insurance, forcing them to pay hefty prices or forgo care entirely. Nowadays, that figure has dropped significantly. "Medicare and Medicaid have been enormous policy successes that have increased Americans' health and longevity while improving financial protections for older Americans," Lauren Nicholas, a health economist at University of Colorado, Denver, told Newsweek. "These programs also support our medical workforce through stable funding and by underwriting graduate medical education," she added. Inevitably, the programs have been shaped by different governmental administrations over the years, and as the programs turn 60, many more political changes are set to alter the course of Medicaid and Medicare's future. In light of the programs' landmark anniversary, Newsweek has spoken to experts about what is in store for the programs in the coming years during the term of President Donald Trump. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva Cutting Down on "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" Starting with the appointment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a key focus of the Trump administration has been removing "waste, fraud and abuse" from the federal health care programs. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report from 2024 found that in 2023, $100 billion was spent in "improper payments"––payments that "should not have been made or were made in the incorrect amount"––across the Medicare and Medicaid programs. GAO said this represented 43 percent of the governmentwide total of estimated "improper payments" that agencies reported for that year. In order to reduce the incidence of these "improper payments," the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency proposed measures such as an initial validation of applicants' identities, eliminating self-certification, and monitoring the programs through improved technology. Analysis of 2024 enrollment data also revealed there were 2.8 million Americans either enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in multiple states, or simultaneously enrolled in both Medicaid or CHIP and a subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) Exchange plan, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As a result, CMS said it would take action to ensure individuals are only enrolled in one program, vowing to "continue to crush fraud, waste, and abuse in America's health care programs." Although, while in principle boosting efficiency and transparency while reducing costs, these changes may also have less desirable impacts on beneficiaries in the future, experts have warned. "Research suggests that the people who will lose coverage from this policy will mostly be working or have serious health problems and should still be in the program," Dr. Benjamin Sommers, a professor of health care economics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Newsweek. "The 'savings' here are not from reducing fraud, but from kicking people off of Medicaid to become uninsured and struggle to afford medical care," he added. "It's a perennial political motto and goal," Tim Westmoreland, a retired professor of health law and policy from Georgetown Law, told Newsweek. "Politicians often say that they are making eligibility requirements more stringent in order to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, but research has shown repeatedly that this mostly disqualifies people who would be eligible if they could find their way through complex mazes of paperwork," he added. He went on to say it saves "comparatively little money"—the real savings come from "investigating and prosecuting providers, for example, doctors who overcharge, or pharmaceutical companies that game their prices, or medical equipment suppliers who don't deliver, or managed care companies that underserve." Newsweek has contacted CMS via email for comment. "Big Beautiful Bill" Cuts and Requirements Medicare and Medicaid's 60th birthday comes only a few weeks after the passing of Trump's major budget legislation—the "One Big Beautiful Bill." The bill includes the largest funding cuts to the two federal programs in U.S. history, and Medicaid will bear the brunt of this with $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade. The White House has said the bill "protects and strengthens Medicaid for those who rely on it—pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families—while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse." The Trump administration said that by "eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse" in the Medicaid program, resources can then be refocused on "providing better care for those whom the program was designed to serve: pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, low-income seniors, and other vulnerable low-income families." Overall, the bill "protects Medicaid for the truly vulnerable," the White House added, and said that those with disabilities receiving Medicaid "will receive no loss or change in coverage." On the subject of Medicare, the White House said the federal program "had not been touched in this bill—absolutely nothing in the bill reduces spending on Medicare benefits." "This legislation does not make a single cut to welfare programs—it safeguards and protects these programs for all eligible Americans," the White House added. In regard to Medicaid, the bill will see the introduction of work requirements, so those eligible for the program will have to work a total of 80 hours a month, unless exempt. The bill eliminates enhanced federal matching funds for Medicaid services provided to undocumented immigrants—a measure that affects states offering such coverage, including California, New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont. All 40 states that expanded the Medicaid service under the ACA will also be affected by the bill. They will face a reduced federal match rate, requiring states to shoulder a greater share of the costs. A number of other changes to the Medicaid program include a restriction in funding for Medicaid-covered family planning services that offer abortions, like Planned Parenthood, and a requirement for eligibility to be redetermined every 6 months instead of every 12 months. Fewer changes have been made to Medicare. These include a narrowing of eligibility to exclude undocumented immigrants and anticipated reductions in federal reimbursements to health care providers, which could affect which prescription drugs are covered by the program. How these changes will shape the future of the programs is not overly positive, according to experts that spoke to Newsweek, and there have been frequent warnings that millions of Americans will lose their health coverage as a result. Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, deemed the changes to Medicaid "potentially dramatic," telling Newsweek "millions of Americans will lose Medicaid and, with it, their access to health care." "Millions of people will likely lose coverage due to increasing red tape from work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks," Sommers added. "States will lose one of the ways they currently pay for their share of the Medicaid expansion, so we will likely see additional cuts from states that may lead to fewer people covered and reduced benefits." Lower income people will be most impacted, Mark Pauly, a professor of health care management at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told Newsweek. "They will have to jump more hoops to keep Medicaid insurance—some who are not sick may decide it is not worth the trouble," he added. On the subject of work requirements, Dr. Susan Goold, a professor of internal medicine and health management and policy at the University of Michigan, told Newsweek evidence has shown that, under work requirement programs, "employment does not increase, people who are eligible are nonetheless dropped, and administering the program costs states money." "Changes to the federal share of Medicaid spending will cause states to either cut enrollment, cut benefits, cut payments to providers or greatly increase their spending," she said. While Medicaid is more directly affected by the bill than Medicare, Pauly said that "Medicare's time will come when provider reimbursements are cut so much that fewer doctors will accept it." Goold added that Medicare will also be indirectly affected by the bill, such as via increases in income tax deductions, including for seniors on social security, which "means less revenue to both Medicare and Social Security." "That speeds up the trajectory toward insolvency, unless future cuts are made to benefits," she said. Also, provider payment rate changes may "make it more difficult for Medicare enrollees to find providers," Goold added. At a time when Medicaid and Medicare popularity is at all-time high, the new tax bill was found to be somewhat unfavorable throughout the county, according to a KFF study, suggesting the federal health programs could have a rocky future as public opinion and policy decision clash. Shafer said: "This bill has been described as 'the biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever,' when families are still struggling to bounce back from years of higher inflation and the economy is showing signs of slowing down." Hospital Closures As Medicaid cuts will reduce the number of Americans with insurance, there will be "fewer people who can pay for health care, making it harder for hospitals, nursing homes, and other practices to stay in business," Nicholas said. "We are already starting to see facilities cut back service lines and staffing that they don't think that they can maintain," she added. Shafer warned that "stopping the enforcement of minimum staffing levels in nursing homes means that we won't see patient safety and care improve in ways it could have, keeping seniors at risk in understaffed facilities." Nicholas said that 25 percent of nursing homes are expected to close as a result, which could "leave frail older adults who need a lot of care with nowhere to go." "I worry that Americans will see the first signs of these changes through their pocketbooks and their own health, having to wait longer to get doctor appointments and losing access to local hospitals and providers," she added. Estimates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has suggested that over 300 rural hospitals could close with all but four states affected. The White House said that rural hospitals comprise 7 percent of all hospital spending on Medicaid, "illustrating that they have not benefited from the massive increase in waste, fraud, and abuse under the Biden administration." "By strengthening Medicaid, we are making more resources available for vulnerable populations and safety net providers, like rural hospitals," the White House said. "We are expanding rural hospital protection, providing targeted funds for rural care, and giving states flexibility to support local providers." While $50 billion has been allocated in Trump's bill over five years to all states for a variety of purposes, including payments to rural facilities, the options states have to protect rural health care are not without their complexities, experts previously told Newsweek. The Future For Medicare and Medicaid In light of the significant, even historic, changes being made to the programs under the Trump administration, the future of Medicaid and Medicare remains uncertain. Aside from major government changes, CMS has also been announcing further changes to both programs in recent weeks, largely focused on reducing federal taxpayer costs and clamping down on issues that fall under the umbrella of "waste, fraud and abuse." This includes an end to expanded continuous eligibility for Medicaid, which allowed some people to remain enrolled for a period of time, even if they were no longer qualified, as CMS vowed to "restore accountability and safeguard the long-term integrity of Medicaid and CHIP." CMS also said in May it would "close a Medicaid tax loophole exploited by states to inflate federal payments to states, and free up state funds for non-Medicaid purposes," as well as launching a "significant expansion of its auditing efforts for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans." The impact of all of these changes remains to be seen, but one thing that appears to be quite clear is that, while less Americans may have access to the programs in the years to come, Medicaid and Medicare will continue to remain critical to many.
Medscape
3 hours ago
- Medscape
Empaveli Approved for C3G and Primary IC-MPGN
The FDA has approved pegcetacoplan (Empaveli, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) or primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) in patients aged 12 years and older. C3G and primary IC-MPGN are rare kidney diseases affecting approximately 5000 people in the US, particularly adolescents or young adults. They often lead to kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. In the recently released Phase 3 VALIAN Trial 52-week results, patients receiving pegcetacoplan achieved and maintained a significant reduction in proteinuria over baseline, with a mean urine protein-to-creatinine ratio change at week 26 of -68.1% and at week 52 of -67.2%. In addition, the pegcetacoplan group showed a reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate levels of -1.2 mL/min/1.73 m2 at week 26 and -3.7 mL/min/1.73 m2 at week 52. The most common adverse reactions were infusion site reactions, pyrexia, nasopharyngitis, influenza, cough, and nausea, according to a company press release. The product will carry a black box warning stating, 'Empaveli, a complement inhibitor, increases the risk of serious infections, especially those caused by encapsulated bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae type B. 'Because of the risk of serious infections caused by encapsulated bacteria, Empaveli is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the EMPAVELI REMS.' Kathleen Dallessio is the Senior Editor for Diabetes & Endocrinology and Nephrology at Medscape Medical News.
6 hours ago
ABC News Live Prime: July 29, 2025
New details in NYC mass shooting; new study in the advance of Alzheimer's research; 170 million Americans under heat alert; "Jeopardy!" host Ken Jennings discusses new trivia book.
