Shares of Vivus (VVUS) were buoyed this morning by the upbeat assessment of a second round of late-stage data on its erectile dysfunction drug avanafil. Two doses of the drug spurred statistically significant improvements in erectile function and intercourse within 15 minutes of dosing among men with diabetes.
"This is the second Phase III study in which avanafil demonstrated efficacy, fast onset-of-action and was well tolerated," said Vivus Chief Executive Leland Wilson. Wilson added that ED is a common occurrence among men with diabetes.
No serious adverse events were reported in the trial. And researchers reported that more than 60 percent of men taking the 200 mg dose achieved sufficient erections for intercourse following treatment.
Mountain View, CA-based Vivus, which is also being closely watched on progress with the obesity drug Qnexa, still has two more late-stage trials of the drug to complete a trial cycle that will enlist a total of some 1,300 patients. A safety study and a trial involving men after a radical prostatectomy will round out the late-stage data from Vivus.
- check out the press release for more data
- here's the story from Reuters