Transdermal
testosterone patches and topically applied
gels have become well accepted for the treatment of
testosterone deficiency in men and are currently being developed in appropriate dosage strengths for
androgen therapy in women. The furthest developed among these products is an investigational
testosterone matrix patch which is now in phase III clinical trials for the treatment of sexual dysfunction in oophorectomized and naturally menopausal women. This review article discusses the
biopharmaceutical rationale for the transdermal delivery of
testosterone to women, illustrates and quantitatively analyzes the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the
testosterone matrix patch and a recently investigated
testosterone gel, and summarizes the efficacy and safety data that have been reported in phase II studies of the
testosterone matrix patch in surgically menopausal women with sexual dysfunction and HIV-infected women with the
AIDS wasting syndrome. The different effects of oral and transdermal
estrogen therapy (ET) on the concentrations of total and free
testosterone attained with the
testosterone matrix patch are contrasted. Although still in development, transdermal
testosterone therapy appears to be a promising new approach for providing physiologically based
androgen therapy to women.