Exhibit 23.1

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No.
333-76366 of Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on Form S-1 of our report on the
financial statements of Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as of December 31, 2001 and
for the period January 24, 2001 (inception) through December 31, 2001 dated
January 31, 2002 (February 7, 2002 as to Note 12), our report on the Statement
of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed of Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as of
March 31, 2001, dated December 14, 2001 (December 31, 2001 as to Note 1), and
our report on the Diastat and Mysoline Products Statements of Product
Contribution of Elan Corporation, plc. for the years ended December 31, 1999 and
2000 and the three months ended March 31, 2001 dated December 14, 2001,
appearing in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We
also consent to the reference to us under the headings "Selected Financial Data"
and "Experts" in such Prospectus.

Our audit of the financial statements of Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. referred to
in our aforementioned report also included the financial statement schedule of
Xcel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., listed in Item 16. This financial statement schedule
is the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion based on our audit. In our opinion, such financial statement
schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as
a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth
therein.

San Diego, California
February 7, 2002

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP