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Sildenafil pp 1–13Cite as

Birkhäuser

The discovery and development of Viagra® (sildenafil citrate)

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Part of the Milestones in Drug Therapy MDT book series (MDT)

Abstract

Sildenafil citrate (UK-92,480, Viagra®) is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) and acts on the nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway [1, 2]. UK-92,480 was first synthesised in the Sandwich laboratories of Pfizer Ltd, UK in 1989, and resulted from a discovery programme aimed at developing a selective inhibitor of PDE5. The origins of the project that eventually led to the discovery and development of Viagra date from around the mid 1980s. At this time, scientists working at the Pfizer European Research Centre were interested in potential new approaches to the treatment of several cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords

  • Nitric Oxide
  • Erectile Dysfunction
  • Multiple System Atrophy
  • Erectile Function
  • Corpus Cavernosum

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Viagra Medical Strategies, Pfizer Ltd, Ramsgate Road, Bldg. 500, IPC 475, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9NJ, UK

    Ian H. Osterloh

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  1. Ian H. Osterloh
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. J.-W.-G.-University, Zeil 65-69, Frankfurt/Main, 60313, Germany

    Priv.-Doz. Udo Dunzendorfer

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Osterloh, I.H. (2004). The discovery and development of Viagra® (sildenafil citrate). In: Dunzendorfer, U. (eds) Sildenafil. Milestones in Drug Therapy MDT. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7945-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7945-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9631-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-7945-3

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