Debiopharm Group (Debiopharm), a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs, announced that Salvacyl (also known under the trade names Moapar and Salvapar), was launched in Germany in May 2009, by Dr R. Pfleger GmbH.

In April 2009, Salvacyl was also launched on a preliminary basis in Belgium. The effective commercial launch will take place in a couple of months. Salvacyl contains the active substance triptorelin, a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist analogue. The product will be prescribed for the reversible reduction of serum testosterone to the level of castration in order to lower sexual drive in adult men suffering from sexual deviations.

"This is a great accomplishment for Debiopharm. Salvacyl is the fourth product we have developed and made available to doctors for the treatment of a serious condition," said Rolland-Yves Mauvernay, president and founder of Debiopharm Group. "We can now offer people suffering from this controversial disorder an alternative and a complementary treatment to surgical and currently used chemical castrations, as well as to other types of medication."

Salvacyl is registered in seven other European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland, and will be launched progressively by Debiopharm's commercial partners in the course of 2009 and 2010. Moapar is currently undergoing a registration procedure with Swissmedic in Switzerland.

In the treatment of sexual deviations in men, intra-muscular administration of Salvacyl every 3 months, in combination with psychotherapy, is an advantage over daily oral forms or intra-muscular weekly injections that are required with anti-androgens such as cyproterone acetate (CPA) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). There are also fewer side effects.