Libiguins: a remedy for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions
This project will develop a business plan to guide clinical development and commercialization strategies for DIC2024, a novel drug candidate for the treatment of the common types of sexual dysfunction (SD): erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) that affects 2 billion men worldwide. 
SD has serious implications on quality of life and is a significant socioeconomic burden. Current standard-of-care includes the use of PDE-5 inhibitors for ED and limited options for PE. The available treatments do not give long effect duration and therefore a major criticism is their inability to facilitate a more natural sex life that does not require planning every time a couple wants to have sexual intercourse. This is also related to delayed efficacy (15-60 mins) when using PDE-5 inhibitors.
Accordingly, Dicot has developed DIC2024 that utilises a principle from a plant called Libiguin. Libiguin exerts a slow-onset, long-term action on the CNS’s integrative control systems for sexual behavior, which in turn controls spinal neuronal efferents that control erection and sexual behaviour. It also includes integration of afferent stimuli (tactile, visual, auditory). DIC2024’s uniqueness therefore lies in its potential to induce long term effects to tackle SD. 
The preclinical work performed to date includes development of the production protocol and studies to characterize the compound. Coupled with ethnopharmacological data (traditional medicine practiced by ethnic groups) supporting clinical use of Libiguin in men with SD, there is significant promise for the use of DIC2024 in the treatment of ED and PE. The proposed project will further prepare DIC2024 for a first-in-human clinical trial. SME Instrument funding will allow Dicot to take substantial steps along the path of commercialisation.