We are constantly bombarded in the media with ads of the current treatment options men have when it comes to erectile dysfunction. Viagra, Cialis and Levitra have become blockbuster medications that have been proven to be very effective for men who cannot get an erection on their own. Some drugs in development are aiming at causing fewer side effects or actually increasing sexual desire (with the current oral drugs, you still need to be aroused for them to work).
It is estimated that some degree of ED affects half of all men over the age of 40 and that 150 million men worldwide suffer from ED. Up to 35% of men with ED are non-responsive to standard therapies with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, representing an estimated market of $500 to $600 million per year. So, there is a huge interest from pharmaceutical companies to keep researching new drugs in this field.
Out of many that are being tested, there are about 4 new erectile dysfunction medications that have made it through several clinical trials and many of them are in the final stages of being approved. The ED market is an extremely competitive field. Viagra will lose its patent in 2012 and generic versions will become widely available. Whether this will mean that Viagra will be cheaper in the United States then is yet to be seen. Many drugs have become generic and yet their prices do not drop when that happens.
What products are in the ED pipeline?
Avanafil:
Being developed by Vivus, this is the one that is showing the most potential and is almost ready to hit the market. Phase 3 studies that have already been conducted that showed that Avanafil can work in as little as 15 minutes. I have not seen its safety profile. I hope it has less sinus stuffiness and flushing than the currently available ED drugs. The company just submitted its new drug application to the FDA.
Zoraxel:
This medication is being developed by Rexahn Pharmaceuticals. Zoraxel so far has been proven to be very safe with limited side effects. It completed its safety and dosing studies, so it is right behind Avanafil in its development process.
Zoraxel works on areas in the brain that relate to arousal, erection and release, which may work on performance anxiety. It should be ready for sale by 2013 of no surprises arise in the studies.
Zydena (udenafil):
Made by a Korean Pharmaceutical manufacturer called Dong-A Pharmaceuticals, this medication has actually already been shown in phase 2 studies to be effective and safe. It seems to work faster than Viagra, but this claim is yet to be proven. I do not know if its side effect profile is better than the currently available oral drugs.
Although Russian and Malaysian men have access to Zydena, countries such as the US and Canada will have to wait since the approval processes in these countries go through phases and are much more detailed and complex
Bremelanotide:
This drug is made by Palatin Technologies. It will be administered subcutaneously. It is a synthetic peptide in the class of melanocortin agonists that is a candidate for treatment of male erectile dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction (FSD).
While being studied for producing a tanning effect without the sun, the sexual enhancing actions of the peptide were discovered accidentally. It actually increases sexual arousal and desire unlike the current ED drugs that only improve erections after arousal. The manufacturer claims that bremelanotide activates the melanocortin receptors in the central nervous system that are responsible for arousal and erections.
The company had tested an oral form of the drug in previous studies, finding it very effective at increasing arousal and erectile function but with nausea as one of the side effects. The manufacturer claims that the subcutaneous formulation will have no such side effect, but it is yet to be proven in studies. I am also not sure if the drug will increase skin pigmentation in some people.
Some men are buying products similar to this one online and claim that they work well for arousal and tanning.
I will be following this field up and post any updates on testosteronewisdom.com , my blog testosteronewisdom.blogspot.com or Facebook page called “Testosterone Replacement Therapy Discussion”.
About the author
Nelson Vergel is the author of "Testosterone: A Man's Guide- Second Edition" and co-author of the book "Built to Survive: A Comprehensive Guide to the Medical Use of Anabolic Therapies, Nutrition and Exercise for HIV (+) men and women", the founder of the Body Positive Wellness Clinic in Houston, and an expert speaker on exercise, nutrition, testosterone replacement, metabolism , sexual function and therapies to increase lean body mass and decrease fat.
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