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San Francisco--The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) is a safe and effective treatment for interstitial cystitis with significant benefits for reducing overall symptoms along with pain and urgency, according to the results of a German study.

Lilly ICOS has launched a limited-time offer called "The Cialis Challenge," which offers to pay for a competing erectile dysfunction drug if a patient is not satisfied with tadalafil (Cialis).

A federal judge in Boston has acquitted a former sales executive at TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. who was charged with conspiring to pay kickbacks and bribes in exchange for prescriptions of leuprolide acetate (Lupron), the Chicago Tribune reported.

Lexington, MA-Indevus Pharmaceuticals announced that trospium chloride (Sanctura) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.

Do you think the three available phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors-vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra), tadalafil (Cialis), and sildenafil citrate (Viagra)-are essentially the same, or do they have distinct advantages in the treatment of ED?

San Francisco--A commonly prescribed antibiotic and alpha-blocker appear to be ineffective in the treatment of men with moderate to severe chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome of long duration. Results of a multicenter study found that both ciprofloxacin and tamsulosin-used primarily in the treatment of urinary tract infections and BPH, respectively-offered no significant benefit in the treatment of chronic prostatitis in patients who were heavily pretreated and had long-standing symptoms.

An investigational female testosterone patch (Intrinsa) significantly increases satisfying sexual activity and sexual desire in surgically menopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), according to preliminary findings of a large-scale phase III safety and efficacy study.

Studies of the effect of chemotherapy in men with metastatic prostatecancer have been enticing and, at the same time, disappointing. While showingPSA response in some cases, these studies have previously failed to demonstrateimproved survival. This is all about to change, and for the better. We areentering an exciting new era in the management of this patient population.

San Francisco--Continuing a trend of mixed results seen in previousstudies, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel (Taxotere) resulted ina significant PSA response but failed to induce any histologic changes inlocally advanced prostate cancer, Cleveland Clinic investigators reportedat the AUA annual meeting.

A former regional account manager for TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc., has been convicted for making false declarations to a U.S. Grand Jury. The conviction of Joanne Richardson is related to her role in illegal marketing practices concerning TAP's LHRH agonist leuprolide acetate (Lupron).

The latest update of AUA guidelines for management of organic erectile dysfunction will focus on novel treatment recommendations and suggestions for study designs that minimize conflicts of interest in post-marketing comparisons of oral drug therapies.