Boehringer Pulls the Plug on 'Pink Viagra'

FRANKFURTGermandrugmakerBoehringerIngelheimhasstoppeddevelopingadrugdubbedthe"pinkViagra"afterfailingtoconvinceU.S.regulatorstheexperimentalpillcouldboostwomen'ssexdrive.



"Thedecisionwasnotmadelightly,consideringtheadvancedstageofdevelopment,"chiefexecutiveAndreasBarnersaidonFridayofthehoped-formoneyspinneraimedatpremenopausalwomenwithapersistentandunexplainedlackofsexdrive.



Boehringer'smovemarkedthefailureofthelatestattempttofindafemalecounterparttoPfizer'sViagra,theblockbusterbluepillformen.Drugmakershavetestedvariouswaystoboostfemalelibido,butwomen'ssexliveshaveproveddifficulttotargetwithmedication.



U.S.governmentadviserssaidinJunethatBoehringer'spinkpill,basedontheactiveingredientflibanserin,offeredlittlehelptowomenandhadunacceptablerisks;nearly15percentofwomenstoppedtakingapillbeforeastudyendedduetosideeffectsincludingdepression,faintingandfatigue.



ThatledtheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationtoaskunlistedBoehringerinAugustformoreinformationonflibanserin,whichwouldhavebeenmarketedasGirosa.



"Theresponseoftheauthoritiesandthecomplexityandextentoffurtherquestionsthatwouldneedtobeaddressedtopotentiallyobtainregistrationforflibanserinhaveimpactedthecompany'sdecisiontofocusonotherpipelineprojects,"Boehringersaid.



Drugmakershavebeensearchingforamedicinetoimprovewomen'ssexlivessinceViagra'sdebut12yearsago.Themarketfora"pinkViagra"couldstretchintothebillionsofdollars.



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Originallydevelopedasanantidepressant,flibanserinwasbelievedtoactonbrainchemicalsthatplayaroleinsexualresponse.But,intrials,womenontheonce-a-daypill,takenatbedtimereportedunwantedsideeffects.



AnFDAadvisorycommitteevoted11-0inJunethatthedrug'srisksandbenefitswereunacceptableand10-1thateffectivenessdatawaslacking.



Boehringer,a125-year-oldcompanycontrolledbygreat-grandchildrenofthecompany'sfounder,saiditwouldnowmerelycompletethetwomostadvanceddrugtrials.



MaleimpotencepillsincludingViagraworkbywideningbloodvesselstoincreasethebloodflowneededforanerection.PfizerdroppedtestsofViagrainfemalesin2004afterstudiesfailedtoshowithelpedwomen.



TheflibanserinsetbackwasincontrasttoBoehringer'ssuccessinpioneeringanewbloodthinningpillforamarketthatrivalBayersaidcouldbeworth$15billion.



AU.S.advisorypanellastmonthrecommendclearanceofBoehringer'sPradaxapillforpreventingstrokesinpatientswithatypeofirregularheartbeat.