Cindy Eckert, Women's Health Innovator, Named to TIME's 2026 TIME100 Health List of the World's Most Influential Leaders in Health

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TIME has named Cindy Eckert, Founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, makers of Addyi^®, to the 2026 TIME100 Health list recognizing the world's most influential leaders shaping the future of health.

The honor follows a landmark period for both Eckert and Addyi. In December 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded Addyi's decade-long approval originally indicated for premenopausal women to include all women under 65 with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), regardless of pre, peri, or post-menopausal status. This decision closed a long-standing gap in women's sexual health care and reaffirmed Addyi's well-established safety and efficacy profile supported by more than a decade of clinical and real-world data.

Over the past 15 years, Eckert has helped move women's sexual health from the margins of medicine into the mainstream after successfully founding and exiting a men's sexual health company. She has unwaveringly advanced the view that women deserve the same care grounded in science and evidence long afforded to men. 

Eckert's culture-shifting advocacy recently became the subject of the independent award-winning documentary The Pink Pill. The filmmakers examine how Eckert's fight to advance standards of care for women -- catalyzed by a little pink pill -- ignited a wider reckoning of double standards in medicine helping fuel advancements in menopause care, the removal of outdated FDA restrictions, and new approvals for women. Paramount+ will begin streaming the film March 6 in advance of International Women's Day.

The 2026 TIME100 Health list celebrates the leaders whose innovations, advocacy, and breakthroughs are reshaping global health. At a moment of rapid scientific and regulatory change, these pioneers are redefining what progress looks like for populations around the world.

"I am deeply honored to be named to the TIME100 Health list," said Cindy Eckert, Founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals. "Every disruptor dreams of the moment that culture reflects that what they've done has made a difference. Impact is the ultimate award." 

The full list and accompanying tributes appear in TIME's February 23 issue (on newsstands Friday, February 13, 2026) and are available now at time.com/time100health.

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About Sprout Pharmaceuticals
Sprout Pharmaceuticals is leading a revolution in women's health, pioneering innovative treatments that address long-overlooked needs. With the launch of Addyi, the first ever FDA-approved treatment for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), Sprout helped shift the conversation around women's sexual wellness. The company remains committed to advancing science, expanding access, and advocating for the care women deserve.

About Addyi^® (flibanserin)
Addyi is the first FDA-approved prescription medication for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), now including all women under 65. It is a non-hormonal, once-daily pill prescribed by more than 30,000 U.S. healthcare professionals. Addyi works on key neurotransmitters involved in sexual desire and responsiveness.

Addyi is broadly accessible and affordable for most patients: women with insurance typically pay just $40 annually, and for those paying cash, Addyi is available for $149 per month with free shipping through PHILRx mail-order pharmacy. Addyi is also available at more than 70,000 retail pharmacies nationwide, where patients can use a GoodRx coupon to lower out-of-pocket costs.

Patients should consult with their healthcare provider to determine whether Addyi is appropriate for them. Learn more or start a telehealth visit today at Addyi.com.

About Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), also known as frustrating low libido, is a persistent lack of sexual interest or desire. It is the most common form of sexual dysfunction in women, impacting an estimated 40% of women according to the Mayo Clinic.

INDICATION

ADDYI (flibanserin) is indicated for the treatment of women less than 65 years of age with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) as characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to:

• A co-existing medical or psychiatric condition,
• Problems within the relationship, or
• The effects of a medication or other drug substance.

Acquired HSDD refers to HSDD that develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized HSDD refers to HSDD that occurs regardless of the type of stimulation, situation, or partner.

Limitations of Use:

• ADDYI is not indicated in men.
• ADDYI is not indicated to enhance sexual performance.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

• Moderate or strong cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors
• Hepatic impairment
• Known hypersensitivity to ADDYI or any of its components. Reactions, including anaphylaxis, reactions consistent with angioedema, pruritus, and urticaria have been reported.

Warnings and Precautions

• Hypotension and Syncope Due to an Interaction with Alcohol: See Boxed Warning for risks associated with alcohol consumption. After taking ADDYI at bedtime, advise patients to not use alcohol until the following day.
• Hypotension and Syncope with CYP3A4 Inhibitors: See Boxed Warning and Contraindication about use with moderate or strong cytochrome P450 3A4. Concomitant use of multiple weak CYP3A4 inhibitors that may include herbal supplements (e.g., ginkgo, resveratrol) or non-prescription drugs (e.g., cimetidine) could also lead to clinically relevant increases in flibanserin concentrations that may increase the risk of hypotension and syncope.
• Central Nervous System (CNS) Depression (e.g., Somnolence, Sedation): Can occur with ADDYI alone and is exacerbated by other CNS depressants. The risk of CNS depression is also increased if ADDYI is taken during waking hours. Patients should avoid activities requiring full alertness (e.g., operating machinery or driving) until at least six hours after each dose and until they know how ADDYI affects them.
• Hypotension and Syncope with ADDYI Alone: The use of ADDYI - without other concomitant medications known to cause hypotension or syncope - can cause hypotension and syncope. The risk is increased if ADDYI is taken during waking hours or if higher than the recommend dose is taken.
• Syncope and Hypotension in Patients with Hepatic Impairment: Any degree of hepatic impairment significantly increases flibanserin concentrations, which can lead to hypotension and syncope. ADDYI is contraindicated in patients with hepatic impairment.
• Hypersensitivity Reactions: Reactions including anaphylaxis, reactions consistent with angioedema, pruritus, and urticaria have been reported with ADDYI. Immediately discontinue ADDYI and initiate appropriate treatment if hypersensitivity reaction occurs.

Drug Interactions

• Oral Contraceptives and Other Weak CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Increases flibanserin exposures and incidence of adverse reactions. 
• Strong CYP2C19 Inhibitors: Increases flibanserin exposure which may increase risk of hypotension, syncope, and CNS depression.
• CYP3A4 Inducers: Use of ADDYI not recommended, flibanserin concentrations substantially reduced.
• Digoxin: Increases digoxin concentrations, which may lead to digoxin toxicity. Increase monitoring of digoxin concentrations.

Most Common Adverse Reactions

• Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥2%) are dizziness, somnolence, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, urinary tract infection, anxiety, sinusitis, constipation, and dry mouth.

See Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, including Boxed Warning regarding hypotension and syncope in certain settings at Addyi.com/pi.

* IQVIA Monthly Total Prescriptions Volume Data Comparing Addyi vs Vyleesi in the US. Sept 2022–Dec 2025

SOURCE Sprout Pharmaceuticals