Novel impotence remedy; no shots, surgery or pumps; painless drug application leads to successful intercourse for 70% of men with long-standing erectile dysfunction

Business Wire, June 13, 1995

Extra Benefits and Minimal Side Effects

The idea of enabling a drug to be absorbed into the penis through the mucous membranes lining the urethra is novel -- and seems more appealing than injections.

"The device is small, disposable after a single use, and takes less than a minute to administer, making it easy to integrate into normal sex life," said Dr. Gesundheit. "Because it mimics normal penile vasodilation, this method produces an erection that is more natural than by other techniques."

Side effects were minimal: local scraping of the urethra in less than 2% of doses when men did not insert the deice carefully, low blood pressure in under 4% using alprostadil and -- particularly in those receiving alprostadil, the more effective drug -- mild but transient penile pain (lasting about 15 minutes) as the erection developed in 29% of men whose penises were not accustomed to the enlargement of erection.

"However, the discomfort caused by the new development of an erection was not sufficient to interfere with the men's goal of intercourse," emphasized Kaiser.

Some men, in other Vivus-sponsored studies, have been using the MUSE system for more than a year. Vivus hopes to be able to market the MUSE by 1997. Men interested in participating in ongoing clinical trials, which are at present oversubscribed, should discuss their concerns with their physician.

CONTACT: American Diabetes Association

Elizabeth Miller, 404/222-6108