Dapoxetine is a short-acting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) under review for the treatment of premature ejaculation.
Dapoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, for the treatment of premature ejaculation. In a phase II proof-of-concept study conducted by PPD, dapoxetine demonstrated a statistically significant increase in ejaculatory latency when compared to placebo.
Alza submitted a NDA to the FDA for dapoxetine for the treatment of premature ejaculation in December 2004. In October 2005, the company received a FDA Non-Approvable letter from the FDA, at which time they planned to work with regulators to address outstanding questions.
Dapoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor currently undergoing trials through Alza (under license from GenuPro, a collaboration between Eli Lilly and PPD). Dapoxetine is a short-acting SSRI drug currently being considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of premature ejaculation in men, which would make it the first drug approved for such treatment.
Despite two clinical trials finished in 2006, experts doubt it will be approved by the FDA soon because SSRIs come with undesirable side-effects after long-term use, such as psychiatric problems, dermatological reactions, increase in body weight, lower sex-drive, nausea, headache, upset stomach and weakness, thus not significantly outweighing the benefit of premature ejaculation medication versus the risks.
By contrast with SSRIs approved for depression, which take 2 weeks or longer to reach steady-state concentration, dapoxetine has a unique pharmacokinetic profile, with a short time to maximum serum concentration (about 1 h) and rapid elimination (initial half-life of 1-2 h).
The drug's mechanism of action is thought to be related to inhibition of neuronal reuptake of serotonin and subsequent potentiation of serotonin activity. The central ejaculatory neural circuit comprises spinal and cerebral areas that form a highly interconnected network.
The sympathetic, parasympathetic, and somatic spinal centers, under the influence of sensory genital and cerebral stimuli integrated and processed at the spinal cord level, act in synergy to command physiologic events occurring during ejaculation. Experimental evidence indicates that serotonin (5-HT), throughout brain descending pathways, exerts an inhibitory role on ejaculation. To date, three 5-HT receptor subtypes (5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B), and 5-HT(2C)) have been postulated to mediate 5-HT's modulating activity on ejaculation.
Metabolism: Hepatic via CYP3A4 (major), CYP2C (minor); forms metabolites (active and inactive)
Absorption: Rapidly absorbed.
Route of elimination: Feces (~62%); urine (~21%)
Half life: Initial half-life of 1-2 hours. Terminal: ~5 hours
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects.Some medical conditions may interact with Dapoxetine.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions.
Common Side effects: feeling of warmth, fever, muscle aches, redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider.
