News update:

• Leading Australian medical experts are driving public awareness and conversation about the increased severity and prevalence of sexual issues in men aged 65+, with a focus on Erectile Dysfunction (ED).
• Men in their 40’s have about a 40% chance of experiencing some form of ED, with prevalence increasing about 10% per decade thereafter^[1].
• A common, but treatable part of aging, ED has attracted interest from Australian innovators who are optimising the delivery of an established class of oral tablets called PDE5 inhibitors with a ground-breaking new nasal spray called SPONTAN®.
• A Phase II Clinical Trial is now recruiting in Sydney NSW, with an immediate focus on screening potential participants who are healthy men 65+.

9 February 2026, Australia

Leading Australian medical experts are driving advocacy efforts on behalf of men who experience sexual function issues as they get older, with a focus on Erectile Dysfunction (ED) which impacts the lives of more than 40% of men by the time they reach the age of 40.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition in which a person is unable to get or keep an erection firm enough for satisfactory sexual intercourse. ED can be a short or long-term problem, contributing to relationship breakdowns and mental health issues.

 LTR Pharma Scientific and Clinical Advisor, A/Professor Darren Katz, said it is not unexpected for sexual function to change with age.

“It is very common to notice a decline in sexual performance with age. Erections typically take longer to develop, may be less rigid, and more sensitive to stress, fatigue, or distraction. Recovery time between erections also increases. Importantly, these changes do not mean a man’s sexual desire disappears or that satisfying sex is no longer possible. Many men remain sexually active well into later decades, but they may require more stimulation, more time, or medical support,” said A/Prof Katz.

“The key issue is whether these changes are bothering or distressing to the man or his partner. If erectile difficulties are affecting quality of life or relationships, proper medical evaluation and treatment are appropriate courses of action.”

Erectile dysfunction is one of the most common chronic conditions affecting men, yet treatment options have changed surprisingly little over the past two decades. While oral medications (PDE5 inhibitors) have helped millions of men, they don’t work well for everyone, especially in older men and those with vascular disease, diabetes, or complex medical profiles.

“There is a clear need for innovation that focuses on faster onset, greater reliability, improved tolerability, and treatment options that better fit real-world sexual behaviour. New delivery methods, such as intranasal therapies, are now being explored to address these gaps. The goal isn’t to replace existing treatments, but to expand the toolbox so therapy can be better tailored to the needs and lifestyles of individual patients,” said A/Prof Katz.

SPONTAN’s unique nasal delivery technology bypasses the digestive system and is designed to overcome the issues of oral tablets for ED by having a significantly faster onset of action within 10 minutes. SPONTAN has already been  proven to support rapid absorption and faster onset of action compared to oral PDE5 inhibitors (i.e. vardenafil, sildenafil, tadalafil), together with a better safety profile.

Oral ED PDE5 medications  are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and then pass through the liver before reaching the systemic circulation, a process known as first-pass metabolism. Therefore, people require higher doses to reach a blood level at which the drugs can achieve positive effects. Higher doses can also increase the chance of side effects. Food intake and other factors affecting gut absorption, as well as interactions with other medications, can also influence how much drug is available and how quickly it works.

“Older men experience common challenges with lower-dose Viagra, Cialis, and other PDE5 therapies. They can be less reliable or less predictable than they were earlier in life. This is often due to a combination of factors — including reduced penile blood flow from vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and the effects of multiple medications. Some men also experience side effects such as headaches, flushing, reflux, which can limit increasing the dose to get the desired result. As a result, older men may report delayed onset, inconsistent response, or a feeling that the medication sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, which can be frustrating and impact confidence and spontaneity,” said A/Prof Katz.

Men aged 65+ in Australia are now being recruited to participate in a Phase II clinical study at ScientiaClinical Research in Sydney NSW to trial a ground-breaking new nasal spray for the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) SPONTAN®, which is also being prescribed to eligible participants under the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Special Access Scheme (SAS).

To learn more about SPONTAN and/or to find a prescribing clinician, please visit spontan.life

Download the media release here

 

– This is not an ASX announcement and has not been lodged with the Australian Securities Exchange –

 

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5313305/