P&G Pharmaceuticals says its testosterone patch could restore the sex drive in post-menopausal women. The company will invest several hundred million dollars developing the patch, called Intrinsa, but it will not be available for several years.
Nearly transparent and the size of an egg, the patch is worn just below the navel and changed about twice weekly. Large-scale testing of the patch in volunteers starts this month, one of the last stages before U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Company researchers are emphasizing that they don't want the patch seen as a "lifestyle" drug like Viagra. They want the product reserved for women with a medically documented loss of libido.
Intrinsa is one of about 30 products the unit is developing. Others include Stedicor, an anti-arryhthmia drug, and Pexelizumab, for patients that have coronary bypass surgery. P&G, who licensed the testosterone patch technology from Watson Pharmaceuticals, faces competition from drug makers testing alternatives such as battery-operated devices, pills, creams and other patches.
Moderator Comment: Where is the competition for Intrinsa most likely to come from?
As the population ages, the incidence of sexual dysfunction within the population will increase. What categories/types of pharmaceutical and OTC products do you think will experience exponential growth over the next 20 years? [George Anderson - Moderator]