Malaysia has given the green light for the sale of a second anti-impotence drug, Cialis, in addition to the best-selling blue pill Viagra, US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly said today.

In a statement, the company said it received approval from the Drug Control Authority of the health ministry to market the long-acting, new erectile dysfunction (ED) drug which would be made available within the next few months.

Experts welcomed the entry of Cialis, whose effect is said to last up to a day and a half, saying it would ease the pressure on patients to plan for sex as the drug offered a longer window of opportunity to be spontaneous and natural.

A recent study on ED patients from key urban areas showed that up to 65 percent of respondents had no fixed time for sex, and 43 percent of men were only averagely satisfied with the effectiveness of their treatment, the statement said.

Freedom for romance

"The local study reveals that 41 percent of respondents indicated that the freedom to choose the right moment for romance and intimacy to initiate sex is important to them," said Clarence Lei Chang Moh, a consultant urologist.

"With an estimated 2.2 million men in Malaysia affected by ED, providing the freedom for romance is an ever important part of a healthy family."

But the statement said Cialis should not be used by men taking nitrates.

Cialis was first launched in Europe in February and is now sold in 40 countries. It can last up to 36 hours, compared to Viagra, manufactured by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, which takes an average of about an hour to work with its effects typically lasting up to a maximum of about 12 hours.

Both Viagra, whose molecule is called sildenafil, and Cialis, known as tadalafil, work by blocking an enzyme called PDE5, whose malfunction prevents blood from flowing into the penis to make it erect. - AFP