Vivus () is a small pharmaceutical company headquartered in

Campbell, California Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 43,959. Campbell is home to the Pruneyard Shopping Center, a sprawling open-ai ...

that specializes in obesity, sleep, and sexual health. Vivus developed

Avanafil Avanafil is a PDE5 inhibitor approved for erectile dysfunction by the FDA on April 27, 2012 and by EMA on June 21, 2013. Avanafil is sold under the brand names Stendra and Spedra. It was invented at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, formerly known as Tan ...

, an

erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction (ED), also referred to as impotence, is a form of sexual dysfunction in males characterized by the persistent or recurring inability to achieve or maintain a Human penis, penile erection with sufficient rigidity and durat ...

drug that has completed Phase 3 clinical trials. The drug has been approved for use by the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

, and is sold under the trademark name Stendra. Stendra is the first and only oral erectile dysfunction treatment approved to be taken approximately 15 minutes before sexual activity. The 2009 documentary film " Orgasm Inc." was made at Vivus to document the process of creating a treatment for

female sexual arousal disorder Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is a disorder characterized by a persistent or recurrent inability to attain sexual arousal or to maintain arousal until the completion of a sexual activity. The diagnosis can also refer to an inadequate lubr ...

(FSD). Vivus also developed an obesity drug,

Qnexa Phentermine/topiramate, sold under the brand name Qsymia, is a combination drug of phentermine and topiramate used to treat obesity. It is used together with dietary changes and exercise. If less than 3% weight loss is seen after 3 months it i ...

(now called

Qsymia Phentermine/topiramate, sold under the brand name Qsymia, is a combination drug of phentermine and topiramate used to treat obesity. It is used together with dietary changes and exercise. If less than 3% weight loss is seen after 3 months it i ...

), a combination of phentermine and topiramate, two existing weight-loss drugs. On July 17, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration approved Qsymia (

phentermine Phentermine, sold under the brand name Adipex-P among others, is a medication used together with diet and exercise to treat obesity. It is available by itself or as the combination phentermine/topiramate. Phentermine is taken by mouth. Com ...

and

topiramate Topiramate, sold under the brand name Topamax among others, is a medication used to treat epilepsy and prevent migraines. It has also been used for alcohol dependence and essential tremor. For epilepsy, this includes treatment for generali ...

extended-release Modified-release dosage is a mechanism that (in contrast to immediate-release dosage) delivers a drug with a delay after its administration (delayed-release dosage) or for a prolonged period of time (extended-release R, XR, XLdosage) or to a spe ...

) as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise for chronic weight management. The drug was approved for use in adults with a

body mass index Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass (Mass versus weight, weight) and height of a person. The BMI is defined as the human body weight, body mass divided by the square (algebra), square of the human height, body height, and is ...

(BMI) of 30 or greater (

obese Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classified as obese when ...

) or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (

overweight Being overweight is having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is especially common where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. , excess weight reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than ...

) who have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure (

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes (T2D), formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent ...

, or high cholesterol (

dyslipidemia Dyslipidemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally high or low amounts of any or all lipids (e.g. fats, triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids) or lipoproteins in the blood. Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for the development of ...

). In 2016, the company was ranked #23 on the Deloitte Fast 500 North America list. In 2020, the company filed for bankruptcy protection.

References

External links

* {{authority control Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq Companies based in Campbell, California Pharmaceutical companies of the United States Health care companies based in California Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020