Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent problem in the world and wreaks havoc on the psychosocial well-being of sufferers as well as partners. First-line treatment for ED is oral therapy, however, the currently available oral erectogenic agent is not uniformly successful and requires approximately 1 h to exert its effect. Apomorphine is a novel, oral erectogenic agent taken sublingually. It exerts its effect on hypothalamic centres involved in the triggering of the erection cascade. It dissolves rapidly and results in an erection in responders in approximately 20 min. By avoiding first pass metabolism through its sublingual administration, apomorphine avoids any significant interaction with food or other drugs. In trials in over 4000 subjects representative of the general ED population, beneficial effects were seen in a significant percentage of men. Its exact position in the market remains to be seen, however, its ability to permit spontaneous sexual relations will prove to be of significant benefit to many men.