Study to Report Success of New Impotence Drug

A yet-to-be-approved impotence drug developed by Eli Lilly & Co. and Icos Corp. appears to be longer-lasting than Viagra, the companies said, citing a study to be released at a medical conference today.

Patients in the study reported success in achieving erections from 24 hours to as long as 36 hours after taking a 20-milligram pill of Cialis (pronounced see-ALL-iss), Lilly and Icos said.

The study did not compare Cialis’ effects directly with those of Viagra, the $1.2-billion-a-year drug for erectile dysfunction that Pfizer Inc. introduced in 1998.

Results of the peer-reviewed, final-phase study will be released today at the American Urological Assn. conference in Orlando, Fla.

The study, funded by Lilly and Icos, involved 348 men with mild to severe erectile dysfunction who were given either a placebo or Cialis over eight weeks.

About 59% of the patients reported positive effects 36 hours after taking the drug.

Dr. Gerald Brock, an associate professor of urology at the University of West Ontario, said the findings that Cialis’ effects are longer-lasting than Viagra’s are significant because many patients report that the window during which Viagra is effective hinders their sex lives.

Lilly and Icos developed Cialis in a joint venture. The companies had hoped to win marketing approval this year. But that has been delayed to next year after the Food and Drug Administration said last month that it would require additional studies.

Pfizer spokesman Geoff Cook said in March that the company expects that the emergence of competing erectile-dysfunction drugs will only boost its fortunes.

Bayer Corp. also is awaiting FDA approval for another impotence treatment, vardenafil.