Bridging the intimacy gap
The intimacy gap is created by a ~3x difference in average time to reach climax between men and women. This gap can increase by greater than 10x when a man suffers with premature ejaculation.
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is a distressing condition characterized by a loss of ejaculatory control, causing men to ejaculate before or shortly after penetration, often within one minute.
Women typically take three times longer than men to reach climax, and up to ten times longer than men with PE. As a result, 75% of women do not reach climax during partnered intercourse. This phenomenon is called the ‘intimacy gap’.
Premature ejaculation is about more than the man’s ability to be sufficiently engaged in intercourse. It's also about the ability of the partner, regardless of gender, to reach climax. We aim to help both partners in the bedroom, and improve relationship health outside of the bedroom.
Premature ejaculation at a glance
Reported time to orgasm in intercourse…
12 - 20 min
Females (healthy)
5 - 7 min
Males (healthy)
<2 min
Males (premature)
Most severe forms can represent a mechanical barrier to conception
The intimacy gap is more pronounced when men suffer from premature ejaculation, also impacting same sex relationships.
Types of premature ejaculation (PE)
The International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) recognizes four subtypes of PE.
Lifelong PE
characterized by PE symptoms present since first sexual intercourse.
1
Subjective PE
characterized by subjective perception or imagined short ejaculation latency time, and/or diminished or lacking ability to control ejaculation
2
Acquired PE
characterized by PE symptoms beginning after a period of normal ejaculatory function
3
Natural variable PE
characterized by short ejaculatory latency occurring irregularly and inconsistently, with some subjective sense of diminished control of ejaculation
4
Existing treatments of premature ejaculation
There are no FDA-approved pharmacological treatments for premature ejaculation. Kadence Bio is developing KH-001 as an on-demand orally administered treatment.
Existing treatments include:
Drug Treatment
Licensed (non-US) and off-label (US) oral antidepressants and topical anesthetics
Non-Drug Treatment
Psychosexual counseling, education and behavioral treatments
Combination Treatment
A combination of drug and non-drug treatments
Partner health: AND, not OR
Premature ejaculation also impacts partners.
Kadence Bio is developing the first FDA-approved treatment for premature ejaculation, which goes beyond increasing the time that a male partner can engage in intercourse, to improving overall self esteem, mental wellbeing, relationship health and reproductive potential for both partners.
❝Partners of these men also suffer, and report sexual dissatisfaction and frustration, as well as problems in the relationship.❞
Dr Andrea Burri, psycho-sexologist
