Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which is seeking FDA approval for a “female Viagra,” says Cindy Whitehead, it’s co-founder and chief operating officer, is now its chief executive officer.
The privately held firm announced the change early Tuesday.
Capitol Broadcasting is among the company’s investors.
Whitehead takes over as CEO from Bob Whitehead, who becomes vice chairman of the board.
“Cindy has been integral in making 2014 a positive year for the company, and I’m confident that under her leadership, 2015 will mark a historic and transformational year for both women’s sexual health and Sprout,” said Anthony Wild, chairman of the board of directors, in a statement.
“Her passion and commitment to address this longstanding unmet medical need is unmatched as witnessed by the emerging dialogue that respects the scientific evidence and the experiences of women living with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder,” he added.
“Cindy is the ideal person to take Sprout into its next phase with the potential approval and launch of flibanserin.”
Cindy Whitehead worked previously at Slate Pharmaceuticals, which focused on male sexual health. That company was acquired in 2011.
Sprout acquired the rights to fibanserin at that time.
She also has worked at Merck, Dura and Elan – all pharmaceutical firms.
“I am honored to be named CEO and to be surrounded by an outstanding team deeply committed to a breakthrough for women’s sexual health,” Whitehead said in a statement. “I’m optimistic that this year will bring the first FDA approved treatment for women’s most common sexual dysfunction, opening the door to follow on research and innovation that women’s healthcare so richly deserves.”
Sprout hopes to win approval from the FDA later this year.
More than 20 drugs are available to treat male sexual dysfunction, but never before has there been a pill for women.
Forty-three percent of women suffer from some kind sexual dysfunction, with many suffering low desire. The biggest culprit is hypo-active sexual desire disorder.
Sexual stimulation deactivates parts of the brain involved with information analysis, or the day-to-day tasks, to allow women to focus on the sexual experience. Women with HSSD can’t shut down the daily distractions.
Enter Flibanserin, the little pink pill that has shown promising results in tests.(It’s been called the “female Viagra.”)
“It works on key chemicals in the brain to increase desire and decrease the stress,” Whitehead recently told WRAL news. “(Women) want to want. They had a desire before, and they lost that, and it’s really causing profound stress either for them personally or in their relationship dynamic.”
On average, women in clinical trials doubled the number of satisfying sexual events and reported a 50 percent increase in sexual desire.
The FDA denied approval of the drug in 2013, saying it wanted to see additional work. Several prominent women’s groups and Congressmen, including Rep. David Price, of North Carolina’s 4th District, responded by writing letters to the FDA in support of the drug.
Price says the FDA needs to approve Flibanserin.
“I don’t know what reason there could possibly be for treating male sexual dysfunction and not female sexual dysfunction, assuming that we have a medication here that is safe,” Price said.
Sprout is appealing the FDA’s ruling, and the company is finishing two studies focused on drug interactions and side effects. The most common side effects are fatigue, nausea and dizziness.
If the FDA gives the company the go-ahead, the drug could be ready for the public by the middle of 2015.
“Hopefully, if we’re able to do that, we break down a barrier and a variety of treatment options come forth, because women deserve those as well,” Whitehead said.
