Harry Howard, History Correspondent
Updated November 29, 2023 13:43, November 29, 2023 14:02
- The drug sildenafil was developed in 1989 by Pfizer in Sandwich, Kent.
- It turns out that disappointing results were obtained in the treatment of angina pectoris
- Have you taken part in a clinical trial? Email harry.s.howard@mailonline.co.uk
When sildenafil was first developed in the late 1980s, there was great hope that it could help treat angina pectoris.
The drug, synthesized at Pfizer’s laboratory in Sandwich, Kent, underwent a series of clinical trials with disappointing results.
It wasn’t until 1993, when experts were considering abandoning the project, that trials at Merthyr Tydfil in Wales discovered some rather welcome side effects.
All male volunteers, believed to be former miners, reported long-lasting erections.
After further successful trials in Swansea and Bristol, the drug known as Viagra became available by prescription in 1998, changing the lives of millions of men.
Now, a new BBC drama, Men Up, inspired by the 1994 clinical trial at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital, is set to retell how one of the world’s most successful medicines was developed.
Before this drug was available, men suffering from erectile dysfunction had few options.
One of them was a vacuum device used to make the penis erect, and the other was an injection that needed to be performed 5 minutes before sex.
Both treatments had, not surprisingly, clear effects.
Viagra causes a chemical reaction that increases blood flow to the penis, resulting in an erection.
The catalyst is the release of nitric oxide, which stimulates the presence of a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).
This is a “message” that relaxes your muscles and increases blood flow.
However, cGMP’s effectiveness is hindered by an “enemy” chemical known as PDE5, reducing its strength.
Viagra counteracts the disorder and works for most men.
Chemist Sir Simon Campbell, who has since been dubbed the “father of Viagra” for his role in researching the drug, previously spoke about the project on BBC radio.
He said, “This was a purely cardiovascular project, and I was very disappointed that we had achieved very little in cardiovascular research.”
“So, internally, we thought, ‘Well, let’s just drop the program. It’s probably not going to work.'”
“But the decision has been made: Let’s do a final 10-day study in volunteers at the maximum tolerated dose and see what the results are.”
Dr Campbell said the subjects initially didn’t have “much” symptoms other than some “gastrointestinal distress”.
However, biologist Dr Peter Ellis, who worked on the project, said the men involved had “very hard erections”.
Dr. Ellis continued, “Pfizer conducted 21 clinical trials in patients with erectile dysfunction.
“The drug Viagra was effective in every trial. That’s very remarkable.”
Patients liked the drug so much that some refused to return it at the end of the trial.
The original plan was to name the new drug “Arondo,” but when that proved unusable, the team came up with Viagra.
In March 1998, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States became the first public agency to approve Viagra for use, and it became available in the United Kingdom shortly thereafter.
Sales quickly went through the roof. Millions of men were celebrating being able to have normal sex lives after years of impotence.
In its first decade, nearly 30 million men worldwide were prescribed Viagra, with sales exceeding £1 billion.
Some men have reported being able to have sex for 12 hours after taking just one of the distinctive blue pills.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 1997, Martin Kenny, an engineer who took part in one of the trials after experiencing stress-related failures in relationships, said: “This drug has ruined my life.” has completely changed,” he said. Thanks to him, I am completely back on track.”
In 2013, Pfizer’s 15-year exclusive patent on the drug expired, making cheaper generic versions available over the counter.
Erectile dysfunction remains extremely popular, given that up to one in five British men (4.3 million people) suffer from it.
Its penetration into popular culture was also rapid. In 1999, Samantha, the main character of the hit series Sex and the City, was spotted on a date with a wealthy older man who had taken the blue pill.
Hollywood star Jack Nicholson joked, “I only take Viagra when I’m with more than one person.”
TV star Richard Madeley revealed he shared his experience with Viagra with his wife Judy.
“It makes everything last longer,” says Madeley. “But it’s by no means an aphrodisiac.
However, sex counselors also pointed out that some men show “anxiousness”, leaving their partners for younger women once their problems are resolved by drugs.
It was also found that rates of sexually transmitted diseases skyrocketed after many older men in Florida visited prostitutes.
Britain has seen a significant increase in divorce cases stemming from what one lawyer called “Viagra-fueled extramarital affairs.”
Pfizer continues to manufacture Viagra’s key ingredients at a factory in the small Irish village of Ringaskiddy, nicknamed “Viagra Falls” by locals.
They claim they enjoy a great sex life thanks to Viagra “in the air.”
In 2017, villagers claimed that even their dogs were affected by the factory’s exhaust fumes, but Pfizer denied this claim.
Viagra is also used to treat other conditions such as pulmonary hypertension. Its use is also being considered in the fight against rare brain tumors.
The cast of Men Up includes Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon. He plays Muehrig, a man who longs for intimacy with his wife. This series is scheduled to be released next year.
The drug’s prevalence is also the subject of a BBC documentary, Keeping it Up, scheduled to air next month.
