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Top Medical and Sexual Health Experts Join Zestra's Advisory Board

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 09:01 CST

Martin Crosby, chairman and chief science officer with Zestra Laboratories Inc. (Zestra), today announced the formation of Zestra's Advisory Board. The board is comprised of internationally recognized physicians, researchers and experts in the field of women's sexual health. Zestra Laboratories has developed and markets Zestra Feminine Arousal Fluid, the only product available today clinically proven to improve sensation, arousal, satisfaction and desire for women with sexual difficulties.

The independent board members will focus on reviewing and evaluating Zestra's current clinical trial and advising the company on its ongoing research in women's sexual health. They will also participate in programs designed to heighten awareness of women's sexual health issues within their respective disciplines.

"As physicians and healthcare professionals, we are highly selective with the boards we agree to join, and we welcomed the opportunity to serve on Zestra's Advisory Board because we believe Zestra is leading the way in developing a clinically supported product that effectively helps women improve their intimate relationships," said Richard F. Corlin, M.D., who will serve as the board's chairman. "For years men have had Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to address erectile dysfunction. Major pharmaceutical companies have thus far been unsuccessful in developing an FDA-approved drug for female sexual dysfunction. Until the availability of non-prescription Zestra, there was no product shown to be effective for the 30 million women who experience sexual difficulties."

Dr. Corlin served as the 2001 president of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the 1992 president of the California Medical Association. He was also an assistant professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. Other initial board members include:

Jean L. Fourcroy, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, former president of the National Council on Women's Health and the American Medical Women's Association. Dr. Fourcroy is a retired medical officer with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a prominent clinician and researcher in the fields of urology and reproductive medicine.

J. Edward Hill, M.D., former president of the Mississippi State Medical Association and the Southern Medical Association. Dr. Hill also served as a delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

R. Taylor Seagraves, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, a leading peer-reviewed publication in the field of sexual research and wellness.

Ridwan Shabsigh, M.D., FACS, a leading national authority on sexual dysfunction. Dr. Shabsigh serves as director of the New York Center for Human Sexuality and director of urology at Maimonides Medical Center. Dr. Shabsigh is the author of Sensational Sex in 7 Easy Steps: The Proven Plan for Enhancing Your Sexual Function and Achieving Optimum Health.

Beverly Whipple, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, professor emerita, Rutgers University. Dr. Whipple is the current secretary general, World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) (2005-2009); past president, Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS); past president, American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT); and past director, International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH)

Susan Wysocki, RNC, NP, FAANP, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health. She is a charter fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the founding president of the American College of Nurse Practitioners. Wysocki has frequently testified before Congress, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding women's health issues. In 1999, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Nurse Practitioner Journal in recognition of her contributions to the role of nurse practitioners in health care.

One of the board's priorities will be to review Zestra's current Phase III--type FDA-quality clinical trial. The $2 million study, which began in 2006, evaluates the efficacy and safety of Zestra Feminine Arousal Fluid compared to placebo oil given to women diagnosed with mixed sexual disorders, which include problems with arousal, orgasm and desire. Clinical testing will be completed in early March and results are expected to be announced in June.

"Although the Food and Drug Administration does not require clinical trials of non-prescription consumer products, Zestra Laboratories elected to conduct a Phase III-type FDA-quality study to further assess the product's safety and effectiveness," said Crosby, Zestra's developer. "Our collaboration with the nation's leading medical and sexual health experts and our commitment to research demonstrate our intent to advance the science of female sexual health and provide a meaningful solution for women today."

Crosby added: "We are confident that Zestra Laboratories is setting a new standard that will be respected by healthcare professionals and women worldwide. That's part of the reason Zestra is rapidly growing as the most trusted name for enhancing women's sexual intimacy and satisfaction."

Zestra's current study takes an unprecedented look at the forces influencing women's sexual satisfaction. The study also measures the effects of improved sexual experiences on relationships and depression. The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-design trial is being conducted across 13 U.S. research centers and is registered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

About Zestra Feminine Arousal Fluid (U.S. Patent 6,737,084)

Zestra Laboratories, Inc., a specialty consumer health products company, is the developer and manufacturer of Zestra Feminine Arousal Fluid, a patented all-natural formulation of two botanical oils and two extracts. It is the only consumer product clinically proven to quickly increase female sexual sensation, arousal and sexual pleasure. The non-prescription product is hormone-free, paraben-free, and is not a drug. Zestra, which is easy to use and topically applied, begins increasing female sexual sensation and arousal in three to five minutes. The effects of each application last up to 45 minutes.

Zestra's commercialization is the result of seven years of research and clinical testing. It has shown to be effective in a Phase II-type FDA-quality study for women who have sexual difficulties, including those taking SSRI antidepressants; and to enhance the intimacy experience for women without sexual difficulties. The results of this study were published in the September 2003 Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. In less than 18 months, Zestra has become the leading dollar volume women's intimacy product in the United States and has become available over-the-counter at more than 30,000 pharmacies and select supermarkets. Zestra is also sold in more than 15 foreign countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and China. For more information, visit www.zestra.com.

Editor's Notes: Interviews with board members and company executives are available

Zestra samples, photographs and brochures are available

Copies of Zestra's studies are available

Copies of Zestra's advertisements are available

Source: Business Wire

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