Avanafil Data Presented at the European Society of Sexual Medicine Meeting

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) today announced that multiple abstracts were presented over the weekend at the 2011 European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM) Meeting in Milan, Italy.  The ESSM is the largest gathering of medical professionals specializing in sexual dysfunction and treatment in Europe.

The specific abstracts that were presented on December 3rd, 2011 include:

A moderated poster presentation by Laurence H. Belkoff, DO, FACOS, Chairman of the Department of Specialty Surgeries and the Division of Urology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, entitled:

An Open-label, Long-term Evaluation of the Safety and Tolerability of Avanafil in Males with Erectile Dysfunction

Dr. Belkoff reported that in the study (TA-314) avanafil met all endpoints by demonstrating sustained improvement from baseline in erectile function as measured by the Sexual Encounter Profile (both SEP 2 and SEP 3) and improvements in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).  The study also suggested a favorable side effect profile and successful intercourse (as measured by SEP 3) in as little as 15 minutes in some patients, without any restrictions on food or alcohol intake.  More than 88% of subjects study-wide responded to treatment with avanafil 100mg or 200mg.

A moderated poster presentation by Run Wang, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Urology and holder of the Cecil M. Crigler, MD Chair in Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, entitled:

Avanafil, a Highly Selective Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Selectivity for Eleven PDE Isozymes, in Comparison With Sildenafil, Tadalafil and Vardenafil

Dr. Wang shared his analysis of avanafil selectivity for the eleven PDE isozymes, in comparison with sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil. Dr. Wang concluded that, in-vitro, avanafil strongly inhibited PDE5 while demonstrating the highest aggregate selectivity in its class against all other PDE isozymes. 

Lastly, Mark Allison, MD, Certified Physician Investigator from Celerion in Tempe, Arizona presented a poster entitled:

Pharmacokinetics of Avanafil, a Novel, Rapidly Absorbed, Selective PDE5 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Mild to Severe Erectile Dysfunction

In his presentation, Dr. Allison summarized the PK results from several avanafil phase 1 studies which indicated rapid absorption (tmax 30-45 min)_, short plasma half-life (3-5 hours) and lack of accumulation following multiple dosing.

About Avanafil

Avanafil is an investigational oral drug being developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.  Avanafil is a highly selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor licensed from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. VIVUS owns worldwide development and commercial rights to avanafil for the treatment of sexual dysfunction, with the exception of certain Asian Pacific Rim countries.

About VIVUS

VIVUS is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies to address obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes and male sexual health.  The company's lead investigational product in clinical development, Qnexa, has completed phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of obesity and is currently being considered for approval by US and EU regulators.  VIVUS received a Complete Response Letter, or CRL, to the initial Qnexa NDA on October 28, 2010.  We resubmitted the Qnexa NDA in October 2011, with an FDA action date of April 17, 2012.  Qnexa is also in phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea.  In the area of sexual health, VIVUS has submitted an NDA for avanafil, a PDE5 inhibitor being studied for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, with an FDA action date of April 29, 2012.  For more information about the company, please visit www.vivus.com. 

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "likely," "may," "plan," "potential," predict," "opportunity" and "should," among others.  There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements.  These factors include, but are not limited to, the response from the United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, to our resubmission of the New Drug Application, or NDA, for Qnexa for the treatment of obesity, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, recommended for obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), or overweight patients (BMI ≥27 kg/m2) with weight-related co-morbidities such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, or central adiposity (abdominal obesity), with a contraindication that excludes the use of Qnexa by women of child-bearing potential; the timing and results of the retrospective observational study of fetal outcomes in infants born to mothers exposed to topiramate during pregnancy; the reliability of the electronic medical claims healthcare databases used in the FORTRESS study; the FDA's interpretation of and agreement with the information VIVUS submitted relating to teratogenicity and cardiovascular safety; the FDA's interpretation of the data from our SEQUEL study (OB-305) and Sleep Apnea study (OB-204); that we may be required to conduct additional prospective studies or retrospective observational studies or to provide further analysis of clinical trial data; our response to questions and requests for additional information including additional pre-clinical or clinical studies from the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, for Qnexa; the results of external studies to assess the teratogenic risk of topiramate; results of the REMS or cardiovascular outcomes for obesity advisory meetings; the outcome of the second advisory committee meeting for Qnexa; the impact, if any, of the agreement by one of our competitors with an obesity compound to conduct or complete a cardiovascular outcomes study pre-approval; impact on future sales based on specific indication and contraindications contained in the label and extent of the REMS, distribution and patient access program; the FDA's response to the NDA filed for avanafil; our ability to successfully commercialize or establish a marketing partnership for avanafil or our partner's ability to obtain regulatory approval to manufacture and adequately supply avanafil for commercial use; our history of losses and variable quarterly results; substantial competition; risks related to the failure to protect our intellectual property and litigation in which we may become involved; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; our reliance on sole source suppliers; our limited sales and marketing efforts and our reliance on third parties; failure to continue to develop innovative investigational drug candidates and drugs; risks related to the failure to obtain FDA or foreign authority clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; our ability to demonstrate through clinical testing the safety and effectiveness of our investigational drug candidates; our dependence on the performance of our collaborative partners; the timing of initiation and completion of clinical trials and submissions to the FDA or foreign authorities; the volatility and liquidity of the financial markets; our liquidity and capital resources; and our expected future revenues, operations and expenditures.  As with any pharmaceutical in development, there are significant risks in the development, the regulatory approval, and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that our response to the FDA's CRL or CHMP's 120-day questions, the FDA's requests stemming from the end-of-review meeting or the results of the retrospective observational study of fetal outcomes in infants born to mothers exposed to topiramate during pregnancy and subsequent meetings and communications will be sufficient to satisfy the FDA or CHMP's safety concerns, that the FDA or foreign authorities will not require us to conduct any additional prospective studies or retrospective observational studies, or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful.  VIVUS does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.  Investors should read the risk factors set forth in VIVUS' Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2010, and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE VIVUS, Inc.

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