US gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. has been granted US government patent 6,531,114 for a gum that delivers sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient found in Viagra.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

However, Viagra manufacturer Pfizer will hold the patent to Viagra for another eight years, so the gum group has no plans to market such a product in the short term.

“There’s been no development activity whatsoever nor is any anticipated at present,” Christopher Perille, a Wrigley spokesman, is quoted as saying by the Financial Times. He did not rule out the possibility that Chicago-based Wrigley might reconsider that decision when Pfizer’s Viagra patent runs out.

Despite the success of gum that helps smokers quit, such as Nicorette, the delivery of drugs through gum has not taken off in the medical world, as it is not a reliable way of releasing a known quantity of medicine. The amount of drug released over a period is dependant on how fast and long the gum is chewed for, resulting in dosage intakes that are not easily measured. However, chewing causes the drug to be released into the blood stream through the mouth, making it potentially less irritable on the stomach.

Apparently it would have to be chewed for at least two minutes about 30 minutes before sex, indicating a similar time frame to the little blue pills used today.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Last year, Viagra had global sales of US$1.7bn, forecast to rise to $1.9bn this year. Once Pfizer’s patent expires we are likely to see a huge amount of NPD activity in the sector. In fact, Viagra is soon to encounter competition for the first time. Germany’s Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline of the UK are expected to gain approval for Levitra some time this year, reported the FT. US pharmaceuticals group Eli Lilly and partner Icos also expect US approval for another male impotence drug Cialis late this year.

just-food.com has published a comment piece from Datamonitor on this news – members can view it by clicking here.