Treatment of Premature Ejaculation in the Asia-Pacific Region: Results from a Phase III Double-blind, Parallel-group Study of Dapoxetine

Introduction. Dapoxetine is a short-acting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that was recently approved for the on-demand treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). Aim. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapoxetine 30 mg and 60 mg on demand (prn) in men with PE from the Asia-Pacific region. Methods. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial enrolled men who were 18 years or older; in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship for at least 6 months; met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision, criteria for PE for at least 6 months; and had an intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) of 2 minutes or less in at least 75% of sexual intercourse episodes. Subjects received placebo, dapoxetine 30 mg, or dapoxetine 60 mg prn (1-3 hours before intercourse) for 12 weeks. Main Outcome Measures. Stopwatch-measured Average IELT, the Premature Ejaculation Profile (PEP), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) of change in PE, treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Results. Of the 1,067 subjects randomized, 858 completed the study. Mean Average IELT increased from approximately 1.1 minutes at baseline (across groups) to 2.4, 3.9, and 4.2 minutes with placebo, dapoxetine 30 mg, and dapoxetine 60 mg, respectively, and geometric mean Average IELT increased from approximately 0.9 minutes at baseline (across groups) to 1.8, 2.7, and 3.1 minutes, respectively (fold-increases of 2.0, 2.8, and 3.3, respectively). All PEP measures and the CGI of change were significantly improved with dapoxetine vs. placebo at study endpoint (P < 0.005 for all). The most common TEAEs with dapoxetine included nausea, dizziness, somnolence, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and nasopharyngitis; TEAEs led to discontinuation in 0.3%, 1.7%, and 5.1% of subjects with placebo, dapoxetine 30 mg, and dapoxetine 60 mg, respectively. Conclusions. Dapoxetine treatment significantly prolonged IELT and improved PEP measures and was generally well tolerated in men with PE in the Asia-Pacific region. McMahon C, Kim SW, Park NC, Chang C, Rivas D, Tesfaye F, Rothman M, and Aquilina J on behalf of the dapoxetine 3003 study investigators. Treatment of premature ejaculation in the Asia-Pacific region: Results from a phase III double-blind, parallel-group study of dapoxetine. J Sex Med 2010;7:256-268.