Efficacy of Once-Daily Administration of Udenafil for 24 Weeks on Erectile Dysfunction: Results from a Randomized Multicenter Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Introduction: The method of administration of oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors has been expanded to once-daily repeated administration with lower initial dosage than on-demand administration. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-daily udenafil as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) for intermediate-term period. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial included 346 ED patients (placebo, udenafil 50mg, udenafil 75mg). Subjects were treated with each medication once daily for 24 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Subjects were asked to complete the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-erectile function (EF) domain at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks and the development of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was inspected. Results: Both dosages of udenafil induced a significant increase in IIEF-EF compared with placebo at both 12 and 24 weeks. When patients were divided according to the severity of baseline EF score, significant improvement was observed only with udenafil 75mg regardless of the degree of ED. At 24 weeks, the proportions of patients who reported a return to normal EF (IIEF-EF over 26) were 39.1% for udenafil 50mg and 47.0% for udenafil 75mg. In terms of safety, ADRs were observed in 6.1%, 12.9%, and 17.9% for placebo, udenafil 50mg, and 75mg, respectively. Although a statistically higher rate of ADRs was observed in the udenafil 75mg group (P=0.024), the majority were mild and recovered without treatment. Conclusions: Once-daily administration of udenafil 50mg and 75mg for 24 weeks resulted in improvement of EF. In particular, udenafil 75mg improves EF regardless of the baseline degree of ED.