Forum of Dupuytren Society

I had a phone message left by the office of the UCLA surgeon who will be starting the Phase III trials up again. This is the *same* UCLA office that was on the verge of doing Phase III 3 1/2 years ago. Bios ran out of money back then. Now, however, since my name was on their old list, I got the call to see if I was a candidate.

If the money wasn't there to do phase III the UCLA surgeon would not be spending his time to start recruitment. In fact, this recruitment effort itself is funded by Phase III money. This UCLA surgeon was burned once by BioS, so he's not about to jump in again with being paid. Believe it.

When you get a message on your home phone for Phase III Trial recruitment it tends to make a believer out of you. I think this is the real deal.

Thanks Randy and Steve for posting about the Pahse III trials and thanks Randy for getting the site cleaned up.

Can people call UCLA and volunteer for the trials and if so, could you post contact information? Anyone out there who participates, please share your experience.

Ok I think we went through this part at least once before. Patients with serious, progressive contractures are contacted and put on a "waiting list" for a trial. Months go by and nothing happens. It costs nothing for Auxilium to build this list of patients, who in return agree not to have real, available treatment like NA while they wait, indefinitely.

Obviously the trial hasn't actually started in any meaningful sense and as always, no real date has been given out.

Well of course I'm hoping to be proven wrong :-)


But I'm thinking that new people come to this forum hoping to get advice and information from fellow patients. So my advice, based on about 10 years of following this story closely, is this: if you're at the stage where you need treatment, do it now and don't get hung up waiting for AA4500.

Auxilium's invester presentations say it "could" be available in 2008, and that's probably the most optimistic statement they felt they could justify. So every time the trials are delayed, just mentally push that date back.

In the end, it's all about money, and Phase III is expensive. They can get patients and doctors identified but until they're really read to cut checks, it's just a Phase III trial on paper. Whether they can actually cut those checks will depend on their cash flow at the time. And even if they start the trial, that's no guarantee it will be finished.

AUXILIUM:

As you can see Mr. Investor, people are lining up in droves to be our Guinea Pigs for the *final* clinical trial of Collagenase. They all desperately want to avoid that nasty surgery, which is what makes our product such a GREAT investment. It's the same everywhere. UCLA, Stonybrook, Stanford and in Europe. All you need do is say the word "Collagenase" and they come running.
Say it with me now......'Collegenase......Collagenase.....Collagenase'. Good, I think you're getting it.........

What?......'N' What?.......Oh, 'NA'. Yes, we've heard about that French thing. It's dangerous and doesn't work. Just ask your local CHS, they'll set you straight, but with surgery of course. But there again, interest in NA just proves my point. People want to avoid that nasty hand surgery so they'll try *anything*. Yes, Mr. Investor, your 30 million is *far* better invested here than on that next Brad Pitt movie. He's getting a little long in the tooth don't you think?

:)