TUESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- A topical anesthetic spray that's applied to the penis delays ejaculation by five times as long and could offer a new treatment for men with premature ejaculation, European researchers report.

The phase 2 study by researchers in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands included 54 heterosexual men, ages 18 to 75, who reported that they normally ejaculated within an average of one minute after vaginal penetration. Some of the men were prescribed the TEMPE spray (a combination of lidocaine and prilocaine), while others were prescribed a placebo spray.

The men who received the TEMPE (Topical Eutectic Mixture for Premature Ejaculation) spray were able to delay ejaculation by just under an extra four minutes, while those in the placebo group delayed ejaculation by just over an extra 40 seconds.

The findings are published in the February issue of the BJU International urology journal.

In the study, three metered doses of the spray were applied to the glans of the penis 15 minutes before intercourse. The doses delivered a total of 22.5 mg of lidocaine and 7.5 mg of prilocaine.

Three of the 54 men who used the TEMPE spray reported numbness in their penis, one was unable to get an erection, and one of the men's partners reported a burning sensation each time the spray was used.

"At the moment, only a small number of men with premature ejaculation seek or receive treatment from a health care professional, and the lack of effective pharmacological treatment is a contributing factor," study co-author Dr. Michael Wyllie of Plethora Solutions Ltd. (which makes the TEMPE spray), said in a prepared statement.

These study results suggest that TEMPE may offer an effective treatment for premature ejaculation, he said.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about premature ejaculation.