"The mechanism of action is unique and brilliant"

For over 40 years, Dr. Harin Padma-Nathan has been at the forefront of developing treatments for erectile dysfunction. In an interview in Dicot Pharma's 2025 annual report, he describes why LIB-01 captured his interest.

Dr. Harin Padma-Nathan has devoted his professional career to the treatment of erectile dysfunction. He led the pivotal registration trials for Viagra in the US and played a key role in the development of Cialis, two drugs that generated billions in annual sales during their patent years. Because he sees a continued significant unmet medical need in this area, he remains deeply committed to advancing the field as a scientific advisor to Dicot Pharma.

– There are patients who do not respond, or respond poorly, to current treatments — for example, patients with severe diabetes, poor glycemic control and organ failure. In practice, the response rate can be as low as 50 percent. The lack of spontaneity is another limitation that often leads to treatment discontinuation.

The underlying mechanisms behind erectile dysfunction are often complex; and today only parts of the problem can be addressed. Dr. Harin Padma-Nathan therefore believes that next-generation treatments for erectile dysfunction will need to target the condition at a more fundamental level, thereby addressing multiple problems simultaneously. He became involved with Dicot Pharma and the drug candidate LIB-01 after studying the research and theory behind it.

– This mechanism of action is staggeringly interesting, unique and brilliant, and I am eager to contribute my experience to the continued clinical development.

Read a longer interview with Harin Padma-Nathan in Dicot Pharma's 2025 annual report.