Procter and Gamble signs HSDD agreement with Noven

Procter & Gamble has signed a license and supply agreement with Noven Pharmaceuticals for the the development and commercialisation of prescription transdermal patches for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women.

Under the terms of the deal, Procter & Gamble has been granted an exclusive worldwide license for a testosterone patch for the treatment of this condition.

Procter & Gamble has also acquired the rights for potential next-generation patches in the same therapeutic area.

Noven will be paid development and sales milestones, in addition to royalties and manufacturing fees, while Procter & Gamble will also bear the financial responsibility of any clinical development costs, regulatory filings and marketing applications.

Peter Brandt, president and chief executive officer of Noven, said: “We are excited to be advancing our collaboration with one of the world’s best-regarded companies to bring advanced DOT Matrix patches to women suffering from HSDD.”

The DOT Matrix transdermal drug delivery platform uses diffusion-based drug-in-adhesive patch technology to deliver more of a compound through a smaller patch area.

In May 2008, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the initiation of a study programme looking ast HSDD, which it described as highly prevalent yet under-diagnosed.