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As Boehringer Develops Viagra for Women, History Suggests High Risk of Failure

By Jim Edwards

Updated on: November 13, 2009 / 11:43 AM EST / MoneyWatch

Boehringer Ingelheim is developing a female version of Viagra -- and wading into an infamous graveyard of failed pharma products. Like cures for obesity, therapies to boost flagging libido in women are better known for their failures than their successes.

Boehringer's entry is flibanserin, another failed antidepressant that works on serotonin. (Interestingly, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is also repurposing a failed antidepressant, dapoxetine, for premature ejaculation in men.)

Boehringer has developed a bunch of cutesy names for its clinical trials: "Violet," "Daisy," "Dahlia" and "Orchid." Together they comprise the "Bouquet" studies, Bloomberg reports. (Insert your own joke about petals opening here.)

Now Boehringer has gotten the proper Georgia O'Keefe references down, can it get the chemistry right? History says no. The fact that this is an antidepressant tells you it is likely to come along with a number of unpleasant side effects.

More importantly, every other company that has tried this category has failed, despite the insistence that somewhere in this thicket is a $2 billion business.

Here's the ever-growing list of products that have either not yet succeeded or not been popular, in addition to flibanserin:

Palatin Technologies is developing bremelanotide, an injected therapy.
Pfizer (PFE) abandoned research into Viagra for women prior to 2003, according to BMJ.
BioSante Pharmaceuticals is working on another testosterone skin patch, LibiGel.
Zestra is an OTC product now owned by Semprae Labs.
Berkeley Premium Neutraceuticals markets Avlimil, but it's a scam.

Image: "Jack-in-the-Pulpit" by Georgia O'Keefe.