In June of 2010, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co., Inc. announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Staxyn as a treatment option for erectile dysfunction. The drug became available later that year. The active ingredient in Staxyn is vardenafil HCl, the same as the active ingredient in Levitra. Staxyn, however, is an orally disintegrating tablet that the user places under the tongue. It dissolves without the necessity of drinking water.
Staxyn contains the ingredient in Levitra, with a different delivery system.
Like Levitra, Staxyn belongs to the class of drugs known as PDE-5 inhibitors. Each orally-disintegrating tablet of Staxyn contains a 10-mg dose of the active ingredient, along with inactive ingredients and flavorings that make it palatable.