Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Introduces New AndroGel® Pump for Men with Low Testosterone
Marietta, GA. (Sept. 7, 2004) – Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that AndroGel® (testosterone gel) 1% CIII will be the first and only FDA-approved testosterone replacement gel available in a metered-dose pump. The AndroGel® Pump now joins the original AndroGel® packet, giving patients two convenient ways for using AndroGel® and offering physicians added flexibility to titrate within the approved doses. The AndroGel® Pump is now available by prescription in pharmacies throughout the United States.
AndroGel® is a once-daily, clear, odorless topical testosterone gel approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000 for replacement therapy in men for conditions associated with absent or low testosterone (low T). AndroGel® is the first testosterone gel to be approved by the FDA. It is also the number one prescribed form of testosterone therapy in the United States.
“Solvay Pharmaceuticals continues to lead with innovative solutions for men with low T—from the first testosterone gel to the first and only testosterone gel pump,” said Harold H. Shlevin, Ph.D., president and CEO of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and CEO and Chairman of the Board of Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “The availability of AndroGel® in a pump and packet allows patients and physicians to choose the best option for them. Whether pump or packet, AndroGel® has been proven safe and effective, when used appropriately, for the treatment of men suffering from hypogonadism (low testosterone).”
AndroGel® is available in a non-aerosol, metered-dose pump designed to deliver 1.25 grams of testosterone gel per pump depression. Physicians have added flexibility to dose AndroGel® from the starting dose of 5g per day to 7.5g or from 7.5g to 10g per day as needed. AndroGel® is still available in the popular 2.5 and 5 gram packets.
Four to five million American men are estimated to suffer from low T, the symptoms of which may include, diminished interest in sex, reduced muscle mass, decreased bone density, depressed mood and fatigue. The goal of testosterone therapy is to raise testosterone levels into the normal range.
Androgens are contraindicated in men with carcinoma of the breast or known or suspected carcinoma of the prostate. AndroGel® is not indicated for use in women, has not been evaluated in women, and must not be used in women. Geriatric patients treated with androgens may be at an increased risk for the development of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. Please refer to the AndroGel® prescribing information for complete safety information.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.solvaypharmaceuticals-us.com) of Marietta, Georgia (USA), is a research-driven pharmaceutical company that seeks to fulfill unmet medical needs in the therapeutic areas of cardiology, gastroenterology, mental health, women's and men’s health. It is a part of the global Solvay Pharmaceuticals organization whose core activities consist of discovering, developing and manufacturing medicines for human use. Solvay Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary corporation of the worldwide Solvay Group of chemical and pharmaceutical companies headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
