Flibanserin is no more. Boehringer, the German pharmaceutical company behind this new drug, has announced that it will discontinue development of Flibanserin, which has been in clinical trials and developed for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women.
Regulators are unsupportive of the research thus carried out and Boehringer has decided that it would be too trying to continue with developments in the face of such questioning and opposition. The FDA’s disapproval came from fears regarding the lack of safety and efficacy of the drug in June of this year and made a 10-1 decision that Flibanserin was not effective and that the noted side- effects were not acceptable. These effects included loss of consciousness and depression.
Andreas Barner, chairman of Boehringer, states that he is confident of the potential for Flibanserin as a treatment for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). He hopes that they have laid a good basis upon which research may continue in the medical community into the causes and potential treatment for HSDD. To this end, Boehringer will actually complete the latest clinical studies in order to advance and expand the knowledge base surrounding HSDD.
We think that this is a great pity as most of the women who were taking the medication in clinical trials did not want to give the pills back as they had so revolutionised their sex lives! Hopefully someone will pick up the reins on this one and take it forward.