Testosterone 2% gel (Testavan®, Testarzon®) in adult male hypogonadism: a profile of its use

The Potential of Pharmaceutical Hydrogels in the Formulation of Topical Administration Hormone Drugs

Hormones have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their potential use in treatment of many diseases. Their ability to have a multidirectional effect leads to searching for new and increasingly effective drugs and therapies. Limitations in formulating drug forms containing hormones are mainly due to their low enzymatic stability, short half-life and limited bioavailability. One of the solutions may be to develop a hydrogel as a potential hormone carrier, for epidermal and transdermal application. This review discusses the main research directions in developing this drug formulation. The factors determining the action of hormones as drugs are presented. An analysis of hydrogel substrates and permeation enhancers that have the potential to enhance the efficacy of hormones applied to the skin is reviewed.

New testosterone 2% gel using Ferring Advanced Skin Technology (FAST), for the treatment of testosterone deficiency in men, with a novel applicator

INTRODUCTION

Testosterone deficiency (TD) is an increasing problem that can affect a man's physical and psychological health, and quality of life. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), combined with weight reduction, lifestyle advice, and the treatment of co-morbidities, is the treatment of choice in men who are not concerned about fertility. However, there remains an unmet need in this therapeutic area, relating to factors such as inconvenient or painful administration, fluctuations in testosterone levels, supra-physiologic testosterone levels, poor tolerability, and secondary safety issues, which may be associated with the current TRT options. Advances in transdermal delivery systems have resulted in the development of a new 2% transdermal testosterone gel, that may offer some additional features over the other currently available TRTs.

AREAS COVERED

We performed a comprehensive review of the published and gray literature to identify randomized studies and non-randomized studies (NRS) involving adult men receiving treatment for low testosterone levels.

EXPERT OPINION

Topical gels are often the most convenient first-line treatment for testosterone deficiency, but options are important as patient preference is more important than virtually any other clinical area of medicine. The chosen therapy must be convenient to use and reach reliable therapeutic levels to effectively and consistently relieve symptoms. Testavan, a new 2% testosterone gel, goes some way to achieving these goals.