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Morning Briefing

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Friday, Aug 21 2015

Full Issue

Benefits Of Women's Low-Libido Medication May Not Outweigh Expense And Side Effects

As doctors debate the merits of Addyi, the newly FDA-approved drug dubbed the "female Viagra," its maker Sprout Pharmaceuticals is being acquired by Valeant Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion.

Should women really be celebrating the new libido drug? Flibanserin, the newly approved drug that has been touted as the "female Viagra" and decried for its risky side effects, has been under an intense media spotlight for the past two days. Just days after Sprout Pharmaceuticals received federal regulators' blessing to market the drug, the small company got scooped up by a Canadian drugmaker for $1 billion. (Johnson, 8/20)

Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which on Tuesday won regulatory approval for the first pill to aid a woman’s sex drive, will be acquired by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International for about $1 billion in cash. The deal, announced on Thursday, represents a sizable return for investors in Sprout, a privately held company in Raleigh, N.C., with 34 employees. A total of about $100 million has been invested in Sprout since its formation in 2011. (Pollack and Bray, 8/20)

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. agreed to pay about $1 billion in cash for Sprout Pharmaceuticals Inc., the U.S. drugmaker that this week received approval to sell a pill for low libido in women. Sprout’s pill received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. The drug has been controversial due to modest benefits and serious side effects, and was caught up in a debate about whether male sexual dysfunction has received more attention. The agency followed the counsel of an expert panel that decided in June that the benefits of the drug outweighed the risks. (Chen, Koons and Edney, 8/20)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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