QWO ™ - FDA Approved First Injectable Cellulite Treatment

24 August 2021

QWO™ has received FDA approval for the treatment of moderate to severe buttock cellulite in women. This is the first FDA-approved cellulite injectable treatment based on the collagenase enzyme Clostridium Histolyticum Aaes to soften the fibrous septa that attach to the skin and cause dimples in cellulite. The drug will go on sale in 2021.

How QWO works for cellulite

QWO cellulite injections — Collagenase preparation from *Clostridium Histolyticum Aaes*.

While cellulite is known to be a multifactorial problem, the main contributing factor is fibrous connective tissue called "fibrous septa" that connect the skin perpendicularly to the deep fascia. These fibrous septa bind the skin, causing indentations and irregularities on the surface of the skin with cellulite. When injected into the treated area, QWO is believed to enzymatically soften fibrous septa, targeting collagen types 1 and 3, which can lead to a smoother skin and an improved appearance in cellulite.

QWO is injected into fibrous septa for cellulite — Under the surface of the skin are fibrous septa that connect the skin to the muscles. Over time, some of them thicken, creating retractions that push the fat upward. This causes superficial dimples commonly called cellulite.

QWO softens fibrous septa in cellulite — Clostridium histolyticum-aaes collagenase, or QWO, is a mixture of two collagenase enzymes, AUX-I and AUX-II, which are injected into the skin in the dimple area.

QWO collagenase destroys fibrous septal collagen in cellulite — These enzymes target type 1 and type 3 collagen in fibrous tissue and work together to break down the excess collagen that causes cellulite.

QWO collagenase destroys fibrous septa in cellulite — When QWO is injected, the fibrous cords soften. It can reduce the dimple and smooth the surface of the skin.

QWO can be a game changer for many women with cellulite. I'm thrilled to have an FDA-approved injectable drug that has proven to be effective in addressing the root cause of cellulite. What's interesting about QWO is that it is a state-of-the-art cellulite treatment without the surgical destruction of the septa.

- Anne Chapas, M.D., Board Certified Dermatologist, Union Square Laser Dermatology Unit in New York

Photos before and after QWO ™ cellulite correction

QWO cellulite before and after — Cellulite. Before and 71 days after 1 QWO treatment.

QWO cellulite before and after injections — Cellulite. Before and after90 days after 1 QWO injection.

About cellulite

Cellulite is a localized change in the contour of the skin that occurs in over 90 percent of post-pubertal women and affects women of all races and nationalities. The presence of cellulite is associated with changes in the thickness of the dermis, the volume of fat cells and connective tissue under the skin. The primary factor causing cellulite is the collagen-containing septa that attach the skin to the underlying fascia. The septa fix the skin, which, combined with an additional excess of subcutaneous adipose tissue, causes dimples characteristic of cellulite on the skin surface. These fibrous septa are of varying thickness, predominantly in women, which gives us an idea of cellulite as a gender-related condition. Cellulite is clinically apparent on the buttocks and thighs, lower abdomen and arms.

Cellulite and overweight

Cellulite is known to be different from general obesity. In generalized obesity, adipocytes undergo hypertrophy and hyperplasia that is not limited to the buttocks, thighs, and abdomen. Cellulite is characterized by large, metabolically stable adipocytes with physiological and biochemical properties that differ from adipose tissue located elsewhere. An anatomical study conducted in 2019 showed that women have higher fat lobules than men, which may also contribute to the unevenness observed as a result of the tension of the fibrous septa. Weight gain can make cellulite more visible, but cellulite can be present even in thin people.