Prognosis
Women May Get New Drug for Low Sex Drive—and More Controversy
- FDA approves Amag’s injection for women with low sex drive
- First drug faced detractors who doubt whether women need it
Addyi
Photographer: Allen G. Breed/AP Photo
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U.S. health regulators approved a second drug to treat low sexual desire in women, adding another option to an area of medicine that’s become better known for controversy than for blockbuster sales.
The drug, bremelanotide, will be marketed by Amag Pharmaceuticals Inc. under the brand name Vyleesi, the FDA said in an email. It’s a shot that comes in an auto-injecting pen that premenopausal women would use about 45 minutes before sex. Sprout Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Addyi, a pill taken daily, became the first female libido drug to gain Food and Drug Administration clearance in 2015.