![]() We licensed this candidate to YourChoice Therapeutics, and they are planning to take it to clinical trial by the end of this year,” said al-Noman.Īccording to the BPAS spokesperson, a safe and effective nonhormonal male contraceptive would ensure that men and women share the responsibility of birth control fairly. “However, it’s hard to predict how the human clinical trial will go since that’s the most significant barrier for a drug candidate to prove its safety and efficacy. The pill not only reduced sperm count in mice and was able to prevent pregnancy with 99% effectiveness, but it also did so without any observable side effects, he added. “So, we specifically blocked the action of vitamin A in such a way that it reduces sperm production without interfering with other functions of vitamin A to preclude side effects,” he told MNT. ![]() ![]() But we need vitamin A for many essential physiological processes as well.”Īl-Noman and his colleagues synthesized the compound YCT529 to inhibit the RAR-α protein. This massive production of sperm needs vitamin A in different stages. By disabling RAR-α, the researchers were able to render the mice sterile.Īccording to al-Noman, “men produce around 1,500 sperm per heartbeat. RAR-α helps bind a type of vitamin A known as retinoic acid that plays a role in sperm formation. To go about this, al-Noman and his colleagues conducted an experiment targeting the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR-α) protein in male mice. That’s why we are trying to develop nonhormonal birth control pills to avoid hormonal side effects. This is a big barrier to developing a male contraceptive. “Since men do not have to suffer the consequences of pregnancy, the threshold for side effects from birth control pills is rather low. But that leads to side effects such as weight gain, depression, increased level of LDL, etc,” he said. Efforts have been made to develop male birth control pills by targeting the male sex hormone testosterone. ![]() “Most female contraceptives target sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. MNT also spoke with Md Abdullah al-Noman, a graduate student at the Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development at the University of Minnesota, who presented the research at ACS Spring 2022. Anderson, who was not involved in the research. There have also been some very promising approaches to a nonhormonal method, but often these haven’t worked or had safety issues when the studies have moved from the lab/animal models to humans,” said Prof. “The hormonal approach to male contraception continues to be developed, but men make millions of sperm every moment, and that needs to be completely stopped. Richard Anderson, Ph.D., Elsie Inglis professor of clinical reproductive science and the deputy director of the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh Scotland, told MNT that research on nonhormonal male contraceptives had taken place but had not resulted in an effective contraceptive in humans. “Coupled with a lack of funding and research interest into methods of contraception for men, the bottom line is that few have seen the benefit - financial or otherwise - in working to provide reliable contraceptives for men,” the spokesperson explained. – The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) Meanwhile, recent studies on male contraception have fallen by the wayside because the side effects are judged to be too burdensome - despite the prevailing expectation of what women are willing to endure to avoid pregnancy. “For over 100 years now, contraceptive research has focused largely on developing birth control that either stops women from ovulating or makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. “Although vasectomies are available, we’ve seen a huge decrease in funding for the procedure across the United Kingdom, with some areas heavily restricting or defunding access for those who want it,” they said. “Despite advances in reproductive healthcare, women are still forced to spend their fertile years shouldering the responsibility of contraception,” a British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) spokesperson told Medical News Today. This burden may be addressed if scientists develop safe and effective male contraceptives. Both have few notable side effects and serious complications are rare.Ĭonsequently, women tend to bear the burden of responsibility for managing contraception and experience the side effects of using contraceptives. In contrast, there are two forms of birth control for men: the male condom and vasectomy. However, for some women, these can have side effects. There are many birth control options available to women.
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