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Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway is once again teaming up with Endo to raise awareness about Dupuytren’s contracture.
Endo reupped with the Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the Denver Broncos for a media campaign to talk about his experience living with the hand condition he was diagnosed with five years ago.
Dupuytren’s contracture is a non-curable hand condition where a buildup of collagen limits the mobility of fingers. About 17 million people worldwide are estimated to have some form of the condition, yet only 2.5 million people have been properly diagnosed or treated.
Dupuytren’s contracture is particularly prevalent in people over the age of 60, with 67 being the average age of a diagnosed patient. As it limits mobility, patients can find it tough to do everyday tasks like chopping vegetables, typing on a computer, or, say, throwing a football.
Elway, who is 64-years-old and has been vocal about the condition since his diagnosis, is sharing his experience with Xiaflex, a non-surgical treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture.
“It’s been five years since I was treated with Xiaflex for my Dupuytren’s contracture, and people still talk to me about my hand health and ask for advice about the condition,” Elway said in a statement.
Xiaflex is a non-invasive, non-surgical injection for adults that can be administered in a doctor’s office in under 30 minutes. Patients typically see results a day or two later. The drug is also covered by most insurance companies and 90% of patients typically pay nothing out of pocket costs for its administration, according to Endo.
The drugmaker’s renewed campaign with Elway has been in full swing since last week and features him speaking with several media outlets about the benefits of Xiaflex in order to raise awareness about the non-surgical treatment option.
“I don’t partner with many companies and brands, but I believe in this procedure and want to share my personal perspective with the people,” Elway stated.
Stephanie Wenstrup, Endo’s executive director of marketing, said the drugmaker had great success with the first campaign — which launched in 2019 and resulted in more than 1 billion views of Elway speaking about the effects of Dupuytren’s contracture.
The company’s marketing team has also received positive feedback from hand surgeons, she said, who applaud the effort to bring greater awareness to Dupuytren’s contracture and the available treatment options.
“In the beginning, it was more just about raising awareness about the condition. Now, it’s about highlighting treatment options,” said Wenstrup.
In coordination with its agency partner EvolveMKD, Endo is also excited to reup its partnership with Elway and use his patient story to spread the word about Xiaflex.
“It’s so important to have someone on the campaign that people can relate to and engage with,” Wenstrup said about having Elway involved in the second round of the campaign. “People are constantly engaging with him.”
Interestingly, market research conducted by Endo found that many of the patients diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture aren’t aware of the treatment options — and even less know about the non-surgical options. As a result, many don’t end up receiving treatment, according to Wenstrup.
Dr. Damon Adamany, an orthopedic surgeon based in Arizona, echoed this sentiment. He sees a lot of patients in their 50s and 60s who have some form of Dupuytren’s contracture.
Since non-surgical treatment options are not widely known, he said that some of his patients have either turned down or been turned away by other physicians because surgery was too complex. However, he was able to treat them with Xiaflex.
“It is an easier, safer treatment option,” Adamany said.
In light of this challenging dynamic, Endo is encouraging people to ask their doctor about the condition as well as Xiaflex as a potential treatment option.
“People are more likely to get the treatment they need when they ask their doctor for specific medication,” said Linda Huss, a senior director at Endo Research. She cited studies that show that those who ask for specific medications are 20% to 50% more likely to receive the care they require.
Since Dupuytren’s contracture is non-curable, it needs to be treated every few years. But since Xiaflex is non-surgical, it can be seen as a more accessible option than surgery, which also scars the tissue.
Elway, who was administered Xiaflex in both his hands five years ago, is already thinking about getting it again in one of his other fingers where he senses a lack of mobility.
“I’m glad I was able to receive a nonsurgical medication, Xiaflex,” he stated.
This story has been updated.
To read a January 2025 article on Endo’s campaign on straightening out Peyronie’s disease, click here.
