The UK is to launch the world’s first clinical trials of a new testosterone patch aimed at boosting libido in women with symptoms of the menopause, in a move researchers believe could transform lives globally.
Testosterone is an essential hormone for women and its production drops heavily after menopause.
Although testosterone creams and gels are available to help women with loss of sex drive in some countries, they have to apply the correct amount to their skin themselves, and in some cases have to use products originally designed for men. The products can also transfer to other surfaces or materials, such as clothing, once applied to the skin.
Currently, there is no approved testosterone delivery patch – which would stick to the skin to deliver the hormone and only need changing twice a week – for women suffering adverse symptoms from the menopause.
Dr Haitham Hamoda, the clinical lead for the menopause service at King’s College hospital and the immediate past chair of the British Menopause Society, said he welcomed the “important” development because if the trials were successful “it will offer women more choice”.
Medherant, a company founded by the University of Warwick’s Prof David Haddleton, will start clinical trials examining the effect of the patch on libido in the autumn.
If they go well, and the treatment gets regulatory approval, this would be the only testosterone replacement patch available globally, Haddleton said, and would be introduced first in the UK.
The potential to improve women’s lives is “huge”, he added, helping them with loss of sex drive.
“This is a very exciting development for us – the potential of this technology to improve women’s lives is huge,” said Haddleton.
“The work we’re doing at Medherant and at Warwick isn’t just theoretical, but instead aimed at a problem women are facing which can drastically affect their everyday lives and jobs.
“This could deliver a product that is much needed and is just not available. With the technology already proven to work we can use our new patch to remove needless misery from women’s daily lives.
“We hope this will transform life for women suffering from post-menopause issues nationally and indeed globally.”
Since 2015, guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) have recommended that testosterone supplementation be considered for menopausal women with low sexual desire if HRT alone is not effective.
The new patch is intended to address a gap in menopause products, providing treatment specifically for women that can be made widely available.
John Burt, chief executive of Medherant, which raised almost £3m for the study, said: “Having the funding in place for the first clinical trial of our testosterone patch for post-menopausal women will enable Medherant to take a major step towards registration of the product and being able to address this significant gap in the options available for women in this very important stage of their lives.”
