September 10, 2010
By: Liberty Kontranowski
Since the “Little Blue Pill” hit the market for men in 1998, releasing a Viagra-type medication for females has been as desired as finding the Holy Grail (well, pretty close, anyway). So why haven’t we seen an answer to so many women’s (and their partners’) prayers? Seems a drug of this type is harder to flesh out for the ladies than the gents. Here, we look at the efforts behind a Female Viagra and where we’re at right now.
Bremelanotide
Not the sexiest of names, Bremelanotide got its humble beginnings as a sunless tanning agent. Turns out the side effect of getting bronzed was heightened sexual arousal and spontaneous erections. Excellent. This med works through the nervous system, versus the vascular system like Viagra and its brethren.
While this all sounded encouraging, the FDA approval application was halted after concerns of increased blood pressure were noted in the testing subjects. As of August 2010, the drug’s developer, Palatin, is testing the medication in subcutaneous form and has so far seen positive results in the Phase 1 clinical trials. If this drug it met with FDA approval, it would be marketed both for Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) and as a standalone treatment or combination therapy component for men with Erectile Dysfunction (ED).
Intrinsa
Intrinsa is a translucent, egg-sized patch that is worn just below the patient’s navel. Said patch’s duty is to release the hormone testosterone into the blood stream. In women, testosterone is produced by the ovaries and adrenal gland, but as the woman matures, production levels decrease (particularly after menopause or a hysterectomy).
Available in Europe, the United States FDA rejected Procter & Gamble’s fast-track request for Intrinsa due to concerns of how it would be used off-label. FDA approval has still not been granted in the US.
Scentuelle
The aptly-named Scentuelle is a non-transdermal patch (which means nothing enters the bloodstream) infused with libido-enhancing aromas and essential oils. Developed by Dr. George Dodd, when smelled throughout the day, Scentuelle delivers key scents to the smell receptors in the female subject’s brain which, in turn, bring about intimate and feel-good responses. The end result? Increased sexual desire and a healthier sex drive for some.
LibiGel
LibiGel is a gel formulation of testosterone developed by BioSante Pharmaceuticals, which is applied once per day on the upper arm. This gel is currently in Phase III clinical trials and will likely be submitted for FDA review in 2011.
As with Intrinsa, this medication is intended for females who have undergone surgical or natural menopause and is proposed to restore sexual desire to levels of pre-menopausal women. The added side-effect to LibiGel is a possible increase in bone density, raised energy levels and improved mood.
PF-219,061
The makers of Vitamin V are at it again, this time for the ladies. PF-219,061 is a drug developed by Pfizer which acts as a potent and highly selective agonist for the dopamine D3 receptor. We’ll be watching closely to see what becomes of this one.
Flibanserin
Perhaps the most promising Female Viagra incarnation was a drug developed by Boehringer Ingelheim. Intended even for pre-menopausal women, Girosa (proposed name) was a non-hormonal treatment that claimed to balance the neurotransmitters responsible for excitatory and inhibitory activity.
While clinical trials showed statistically significant increases in “satisfying sexual events,” this increase was only 0.8 “events” greater than a placebo. Regardless of results, on June 18, 2010, the FDA turned down approval for the drug due to the risks of side effects and Flibanserin’s interactions with other drugs. Drat!
Conclusion
As you can see, we’ve come a long way in our quest for a suitable Female Viagra, yet we are still so far away. As in, back to the drawing board. Will the next 10 years see an answer to Female Sexual Dysfunction? We sure hope so.
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