Institution:
Stony Brook University School of MedicineResearchers:
Lawrence Hurst, MD, and Marie Badalamente, PhD, in the Department of Orthopaedics at Stony Brook Medicine

Impact:
Dupuytren’s contracture is a disorder in which excess collagen accumulation in the palm and fingers causes thick, inflexible cords to form, triggering a progressive and permanent curling up of the fingers. Historically, the standard of care has been surgery to cut the cords. But thanks to the investigational research by Drs. Badalamente and Hurst, Xiaflex, a non-surgical treatment received FDA approval.
Timeline:
Research began in the mid-1990s; approved by the FDA in 2010