German drug firm Boehringer Ingelheim has shelved development of a libido-booster for women after it was given the thumbs down by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company said.

"The response of the authorities and the complexity and extent of further questions that would need to be addressed to potentially obtain registration for flibanserin have impacted the company's decision to focus on other pipeline projects," Boehringer said in the statement published on its website.