{"id":9687,"date":"2017-04-24T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T08:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/?p=9687"},"modified":"2026-04-07T23:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:12:58","slug":"valeant-to-relaunch-addyi-can-female-viagra-catch-on-this-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/womens-health\/valeant-to-relaunch-addyi-can-female-viagra-catch-on-this-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Valeant to Relaunch Addyi: Can ‘Female Viagra’ Catch On This Time?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Expectations were high in October 2015 when Addyi, the first drug developed to reignite the flame of sexual desire in women, hit the market. Sales for the drug, however, have been low, prompting a brand relaunch.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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After a bruising fight to win approval for the medication, many observers felt the sky was the limit for the new drug, somewhat misleadingly dubbed \u201cfemale Viagra\u201d by some.<\/p>\n

The reality has been much different. Sales of the female drug have been lackluster. Factors cited as reasons for Addyi\u2019s poor reception include an FDA-mandated black box warning, incompatibility with alcohol, high prices, and the reluctance of many health insurers to cover the medication.<\/p>\n

However, in the end it may be Addyi\u2019s modest benefits that have been the biggest factor in its disappointing debut. Data from clinical trials shows that women taking the drug experience an average increase of only one-half to one satisfying sexual event per month.<\/p>\n

Valeant Relaunching Addyi<\/h3>\n

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, which snatched up the rights to Addyi less than 48 hours after the drug won approval from the Food and Drug Administration, is relaunching Addyi in high hopes that the second time will be the charm.<\/p>\n

Addyi\u2019s disappointing sales in 2016 — the first full year the drug was on the market — came at a particularly bad time for Valeant, which found itself under fire for questionable pricing and accounting tactics even as its debt load mushroomed.<\/p>\n

Addyi, in fact, represents a perfect example of Valeant\u2019s questionable pricing strategy. On August 20, 2015, the Quebec-based drug company agreed to pay a cool $1 billion for Sprout Pharmaceuticals, the small North Carolina company that shepherded Addyi through the FDA approval process.<\/p>\n

Shortly thereafter Valeant said that it would be pricing a 30-day supply of the drug at about $800, double the price Sprout had originally planned to ask.<\/p>\n

Reflective of Valeant\u2019s overall problems is the sharp drop in the price of its stock from a high of more than $260 in August 2015 to just over $9 as of its close on April 19, 2017.<\/p>\n

Produces Modest Benefits<\/h3>\n

As previously noted, Addyi has produced less than spectacular increases in female sexual desire, which critics say points up the stark differences between male and female sexuality<\/strong>. While Viagra and the other popular erectile dysfunction drugs treat a physical problem — insufficient blood flow to the penis — female sexual desire is seated in the brain and is more difficult to regulate.<\/p>\n

Unlike Viagra and the other so-called PDE5 inhibitors, Addyi seeks to increase female sexual desire by subtly rebalancing brain chemistry. As first explained by Cindy Whitehead, former CEO of Sprout, flibanserin — the active ingredient in Addyi — increases brain levels of dopamine and norepinephrine while reducing serotonin levels. Serotonin tends to inhibit sexual desire, while the other two neurotransmitters are associated with an increase in sexual desire.<\/p>\n

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Addyi\u2019s claims to fire up the female libido are challenged by some women\u2019s groups that see few, if any, benefits from the drug.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Addyi Must Be Taken Daily<\/h3>\n

Viagra and most of the other ED drugs are taken only as needed, anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes before the anticipated start of sexual activity. Addyi must be taken daily, preferably just before the patient goes to bed each night. Moreover, the drug must be taken for six to eight weeks before any changes in sexual desire are likely to occur. Many women have said they find it hard to accept the idea of being tethered to a daily drug for years.<\/p>\n

Concerned about the drug\u2019s side effects, which include drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and low blood pressure, the FDA conditioned its approval of Addyi on a requirement that the drug\u2019s packaging materials carry a black box warning of these possible adverse effects. Taking the drug with alcohol can significantly increase the risk of such side effects.<\/p>\n

Obstacles to FDA Approval<\/h3>\n

It was the FDA\u2019s concerns about the drug\u2019s possible side effects and its modest benefits that were the primary obstacles to winning approval for Addyi. Sprout mounted a spirited chorus of support for the drug, but it was muted to some degree by a like number of women\u2019s groups that felt Addyi failed to deliver fully on its promise.<\/p>\n

Addyi is designed to reignite sexual desire in premenopausal women.<\/p>\n

However, according to the National Women\u2019s Health Network<\/a>, taking Addyi with hormonal contraceptives may increase the risk of serious side effects from Addyi.<\/p>\n

The NWHN also notes that Addyi may interact adversely with a number of other drugs, including antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and vaginal yeast infection medications.<\/p>\n

More Aggressive Marketing Vowed<\/h3>\n

As part of its plans to relaunch Addyi in 2017, Valeant has pledged to market the drug more aggressively than it did originally, a factor that some observers blame for the medication\u2019s disappointing performance. Only time will tell whether Valeant\u2019s new push for Addyi will succeed.<\/p>\n

If this article has piqued your interest and you would like to stay abreast of the latest developments on the consumer health front, including articles about sexual health and function, check out our blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Expectations were high in October 2015 when Addyi, the first drug developed to reignite the flame of sexual desire in women, hit the market. Sales for the drug, however, have been low, prompting a brand relaunch.\u00a0   After a bruising fight to win approval for the medication, many observers felt the sky was the limit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9700,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens-health"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t