The latest attempt to give women who experience a low libido their own version of Viagra has failed.
A Food and Drug Administration panel on Friday shot down Flibanserin, the so-called female Viagra over concerns that the drug didn't adequately improve a women's lagging libido.
Members of the Food and Drug Administration's reproductive drugs panel voted 11-0 that the drug's benefits did not outweigh side effects, including fainting spells, fatigue and depression, MSNBC reports.
“We are disappointed with the advisory committee’s recommendations and will work with the FDA to address questions raised by the advisory committee,” said Christopher Corsico, M.D., M.P.H., U.S. medical director, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in a press release. “Our ongoing flibanserin clinical trial program demonstrates our continued commitment to women with HSDD [hypoactive sexual desire disorder].”
Although the panel's decision isn't final, the FDA usually follows the panel's recommendation, CNN reported. The FDA will make its final decision in coming months.
And while flibanserin wasn't recommended for approval for this round, other drug companies such as BioSante Pharmaceuticals out of Illinois are creating drugs such as Libigel. Libigel is currently in clinical trials and the company is hoping to submit an application by the end of 2011.
Sources: www.CNN.com
www.msnbc.com