Abbott launches new erectile dysfunction solution at Arab Health

The announcement was made at Arab Health 2002 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait are the first Middle East countries to approve UPRIMA (apomorphine hydrochloride). The drug is the only centrally acting oral therapy to be approved by the European Commission for the first-line treatment of ED. Uprima is proven to work much faster than its competitors, and with fewer side effects.

Abbott Laboratories organized a series of seminars for urologists and doctors in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to explain the new treatment. A leading Canadian urologist, Prof. Jeremy Heaton, of Queen's University and Kingston General Hospital, Canada gave a lecture on 'A new strategy against Erectile Dysfunction'. A well-sought-after speaker, Prof. Heaton is widely published and holds several patents in the field of erectile dysfunction, cancer and medical devices. The evening seminar was broadcast live to Abu Dhabi, where over 300 medical professionals participated.

Dr. Mohammed Istarabadi of Al Zahra Hospital, one of the UAE's leading urologists and a member of the American Board of Urology, also addressed the groups in Dubai. Doctors from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman arrived in Dubai to attend the seminars.

"ED is a medical condition affecting more than 150 million men worldwide," said Dr. Istarabadi. UPRIMA is a small tablet that dissolves quickly when placed under the tongue, typically producing an erectile response in under 20 minutes.

Dr Istarabadi added that the UPRIMA tablet melts in less than minutes. Its effects last for 2-3 hours, and it can be used up to three times daily. He added that the low dosage (3 mg) was safe for most patients, while being effective. In clinical trials, the most commonly reported side effects were nausea, dizziness and headache, which were generally mild and transient.

Because UPRIMA is taken sublingually (under the tongue), it enters the bloodstream quickly, bypassing the gastro-intestinal tract. The rapid absorption of UPRIMA into the bloodstream allows for its fast onset of action, typically in under 20 minutes.

"UPRIMA offers several benefits for patients: it works fast, and it works similarly to the way men normally have erections," said Prof. Jeremy Heaton. "Long-term data in men who continued in studies demonstrate that UPRIMA is successful in more than 90 percent of attempts." He added that Abbott was also working with doctors to implement a patient satisfaction survey. The survey was previously carried out very successfully in Europe.

Abbott Laboratories, the Chicago-based company that produces and markets UPRIMA worldwide, is excited by the imminent introduction of the treatment in the Middle East.

"Every patient is different, and UPRIMA's unique product attributes allow doctors to provide therapy that meets the needs of individual patients," said Ibrahim Aql, General Manager, Gulf Region.

He added that the Arab Health exhibition provided a wonderful opportunity to inform key medical opinion leaders in the Gulf about the launch of UPRIMA. Abbott Laboratories has a large stand to highlight the new treatment. It is also showcasing Reductil, its recently launched treatment for weight loss.

UPRIMA works in the brain to improve diminished erectile function by enhancing the natural signal following stimulation, similar to the way men normally have erections. The treatment works through the central nervous system, producing a series of events that enhances the ability to achieve and maintain penile erection. It is distinct from other oral therapies, which act by blocking the action of certain enzymes involved in the erectile response.

UPRIMA has been extensively studied in clinical trials involving more than 5,000 patients, with more than 120,000 doses of UPRIMA administered. UPRIMA was studied in men with varying severity of erectile dysfunction.