First there was the little blue pill that revolutionised millions of relationships around the world.

Now the man who helped invent Viagra is on a mission to help men suffering from another problem between the sheets.

Professor Mike Wyllie, one of the team of scientists who developed Viagra in the 1990s, has created a drug to treat premature ejaculation – and he claims it could help men last up to 10 times longer in the bedroom.

The Fortacin spray contains low doses of two anaesthetics. These reduce the sensitivity, lowering it to a normal level, Professor Wyllie said.

Up to 40 per cent of men suffer from premature ejaculation - defined by the International Society of Sexual Medicine as ejaculation ‘within a minute’ - at some point in their lives.

The condition, which mainly affects those between the ages of 18 and 60, is actually more common than erectile dysfunction, for which Viagra can be a solution.

In trials, men who used the spray, called Fortacin, ahead of sex lasted on average five times longer. This was after three months of use.

Professor Wyllie claims that after nine months, the average duration of intercourse had gone from under one minute to the normal average of 8-10 minutes – an increase of up to 10 times.

‘A big part of this is because a man’s confidence increased and the whole experience became less stressful,’ he said.

As a result, both men and women understandably reported feeling more satisfied with their sex life.

Professor Wyllie, formerly of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and now of small British biotech firm Plethora Solutions, said: ‘Premature ejaculation has a devastating effect on relationships. It can really destroy lives – to the point where some men commit suicide.’

He added: ‘It may not be talked about as much as erectile dysfunction, but there’s no doubt can cause the same level of distress for both a man and his partner.’

The exact causes are unclear but it is thought over-sensitivity is part of the problem.

Despite the number of men affected, there is only one treatment specifically designed to tackle the problem and it is not suitable for everyone, such as those with heart disease.

Professor Wyllie claimed his spray ‘gives users more control without reducing pleasure’.

‘It does not have a numbing effect for either the man or his partner, our research has shown.’

The spray takes around five minutes to get work, but can be used up to two hours before sex.

The spray was launched in the UK last November but was only available if a GP contacted the distributor directly – a difficult and time consuming process.

From today, Fortacin will be available to buy from your pharmacy..

A GP can order the spray from the site for their patient, or a man can buy it directly himself – providing he passes a strict 12 point medical questionnaire that is vetted by an in-house doctor.

In either situation, the product is posted directly to the patient.

A can that provides 20 doses will cost £99.99. Overall, couples also reported their sex lives had become more satisfying. ‘Most said it had gone from of a rating of two to three out of 10 to eight or nine out of ten,’ he said.

Professor Wyllie believes the spray is the ‘next big revolution after Viagra’.

There is also hope it may help some couples struggling to conceive as a result of premature ejaculation.  

Professor Geoffrey Hackett, a urologist and consultant in sexual medicine at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, said: 'Until now, we have had a tablet called Priligy (dapoxetine) for a number of years on NHS prescription - but it has never really taken off.

'However the price of Fortacin is much higher than would have been expected.

'Men with premature ejaculation are usually younger with less disposable income - and are like to use the product more often. So it might not be realistic to compare this product to Viagra.

'Time will show if the price has been set too high but at least it is a step forward to have 2 licensed treatments available.'