- A group of 16 volunteers from a clinic in Nottingham are involved in the trial
British men have become the first in the world to trial a new hormone-free contraceptive pill, which experts hope will make pregnancy prevention a 'shared responsibility'.
A group of 16 volunteers at a clinic in Nottingham are involved in the trial of the drug, called YCT-529, to see if it can stop sperm from forming.
The pill works by disabling a protein called retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR alpha) in the body, preventing it from binding to a form of vitamin A.
And this, scientists hope, should stop sperm from forming in the testicles – and be easily reversible when men decide they are ready to have children.
A group of 16 volunteers at a clinic in Nottingham are involved in the trial of the drug, called YCT-529, to see if it can stop sperm from forming.
While the trial is taking place in Britain, the drug itself was developed over the past twenty years by Professor Gunda Georg of the University of Minnesota.
She said: 'The last innovation in contraception was the female contraceptive pill, and that was over sixty years ago.
“The world is ready for a male contraceptive, and delivering a male contraceptive is simply the right thing to do, given what we know about the side effects women have experienced from the pill for decades.
'We deliberately chose to inhibit the vitamin A signaling pathway in the testis because almost 100 years of research has validated this pathway and shows that infertility can be easily reversed.'
Studies showed the drug was 99 percent effective at preventing mouse pregnancies and reducing monkey sperm counts after two weeks.
It was found to be safe and completely reversible once treatment ended.
Research suggests that around a third of sexually active men in Britain might consider taking a male version of the pill. Currently, their options are limited to withdrawal, condoms, or a vasectomy.
Other male birth control pills being tested use hormonal agents to suppress testosterone and thus prevent sperm production.
However, testosterone does not completely stop sperm production and is also associated with serious side effects, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, weight gain, acne and mood swings.
The phase one study is being conducted by YourChoice Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company founded for the purpose of developing non-hormonal contraceptive products for men.
Researchers are investigating a contraceptive pill for men, which can be taken 30 minutes before sex. An example of how it could work
Akash Bakshi, co-founder and CEO, said, “Contraceptives only work if they are used.
'YCT-529 blocks a protein – not hormones – to prevent sperm production. We believe this will be more attractive to men, most of whom view pregnancy prevention as a shared responsibility, despite current limited contraceptive options, which are permanent or only moderately effective.
'The lack of options reinforces the age-old view that pregnancy prevention is 'the woman's responsibility'. It is not, and we aim to promote the first hormone-free contraceptive pill for men that is effective, convenient and temporary.”
The Male Contraceptive Initiative, which has invested in the new pill, is supporting efforts to develop new methods of contraception.
Executive Director Heather Vahdat said, “The first-in-human study of a hormone-free contraceptive pill for men is a long-awaited milestone and milestone in the quest for reproductive autonomy.
'While there is still much work ahead, we believe the first human study of YCT-529 is an important step toward a future where both men and women have the power to decide on contraceptive use, pregnancy and fertility, and to control them, a kind of healthcare equity that we think is important. way too late.'
The trial is also partly funded by the National Institutes of Health, the US medical research agency.