The market for premature ejaculation
The global market for treatment of premature ejaculation is estimated to USD 3 billion and is expected to grow by 9% per year until 2028. The increase is due to the unmet need in the market due to too few effective registered drugs.
Competitors
There are currently few effective treatments for premature ejaculation available on the market. The main treatment today is local anaesthetics that is applied to the glans 10 to 15 minutes before intercourse to reduce sensitivity, which helps delay ejaculation. Sensitivity is reduced, but so is sexual pleasure. The partner can also experience a reduced sensitivity and loss of sexual satisfaction.
Dapoxetine (Priligy) developed by Westoxeti and Johnson & Johnson is a well-known product used in treating premature ejaculation. Dapoxetine must be taken 1 to 3 hours before intercourse and has a half-life of about 1.5 hours, which means that planning is required, and this of course puts pressure on the sexual activity. Dapoxetine is not available in the United States, one of the largest markets for premature ejaculation.
A large proportion of patients experience side effects from Dapoxetine. What has been reported so far is nausea, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, somnolence, fatigue and insomnia. It is common that patients do not continue with the treatment, usually because of the side effects and the requirement for planning.
In addition to the above, behavioural therapy is also used to treat the condition, but this has been questioned in scientific literature deeming it to have little or no effect.
Overview of important competitors
Fortacin - alternative method. Spray for local anaesthesia of the penis.
Priligy (Johnson & Johnson) - registered in approximately 30 countries in the EU, not in the US.
Limitations with current therapeutics
- Short duration of action, which leads to unwanted planning of sexual activity
- Severe side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue and insomnia.