Game-changing new erectile dysfunction gel that works within 10 minutes is now on sale in Boots

A new erectile dysfunction treatment that works within ten minutes has been hailed as a ‘breakthrough’.

Eroxon is the first topical gel for impotence that’s been proven to work in clinical trials, and available to buy without a prescription.

It will be sold over-the-counter in Boots in the UK and Ireland from today, in-store and online, with an RRP of £24.99 for four single-use applications.

The gel is an alternative to standard treatments such as Viagra, which comes in pill form, can take up to an hour to kick in and is not suitable for all men.

A phase 3 trial of 250 men showed that after using Eroxon for 12 weeks, 63 per cent showed significant improvement in erectile function, measured using standardised tests.

Its effects were confirmed in a second phase 3 trial, involving 47 men and spanning 24 weeks, with 61 per cent of men seeing a meaningful change.

There were very few side effects reported during the trials, which included men with moderate to severe ED. These included headaches, nausea and skin irritation.

Eroxon works in a novel way. Components in the gel evaporate, causing rapid cooling of the penis that stimulates the nerve endings.

A secondary slower, warming action further activates neurotransmitters which leads to the generation of nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is key for erections because it relaxes muscles in the erectile tissues of the penis, allowing blood to flow into it and cause stiffness.

In the studies, an erection occurred within 10 minutes of applying the Eroxon gel to the head of the penis 60 per cent of the time.

Like Viagra, which was originally developed to treat angina, Eroxon was also created by accident.

Scientists at Futura Medical, the UK-based pharmaceutical company behind the treatment, were researching whether gel forms of angina medication could be used as an ED treatment.

They made a fast-evaporating gel that the drug could be added to and used this gel on its own as a placebo in trials.

But results showed that gel on its own was equally as effective as the angina gel. 

Dr Hilary Jones, TV GP and an adviser to the Eroxon ED Information Panel (EEDIP), said: ‘Eroxon offers a breakthrough for sexual wellness.

‘Eroxon gel ensures sexual spontaneity remains intact thanks to its speed of action.

‘Previous ED treatments can take up to an hour to work, potentially destroying any intimacy.

‘Plus, super studies show that almost 50 per cent of men actually gave up using them.’

Professor David Ralph, consultant urologist and past President of the European Society of Sexual Medicine, said: ‘The efficacy of Eroxon is remarkable and approaches the efficacy of current first-line therapy but with significantly lower adverse events.’

The main treatment for ED is medicines called PDE-5 inhibitors, which include sildenafil, branded as Viagra.

They work by increasing blood vessel dilation and blocking PDE-5, an enzyme that causes the loss of erection, thus prolonging nitric oxide.

While hugely beneficial to some, Viagra has limitations, including that people with a number of health conditions, such as heart disease or low blood pressure, cannot take them.

Viagra takes at least 30 minutes to work, potentially more depending on whether someone has eaten.

It has ‘common’ side effects such as headache, facial flushing and dizziness, according to the NHS.

Various creams and gels that claim to help men in the bedroom are available, but either aren’t scientifically proven to work or need a prescription — such as Vitaros cream, which also works by dilating blood vessels.

ED affects up to half of men over the age of 40, studies show. Conditions related to ageing, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure are underlying causes.

But psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, stress or performance anxiety, can be profound, more commonly the cause of ED in younger men, who are increasingly presenting with the condition.

A 2023 Omnibus survey of more than 1,000 ED sufferers and their partners revealed half of men have a sense of failure and 15 per cent avoid sex all together because of it.