A Male Birth Control Pill Is On The Horizon

Ladies rejoice! Male birth control may soon be a reality. According to new research conducted by the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, the first hormone-free male birth control pill has entered clinical trials and is set to undergo safety and efficacy testing soon.

The groundbreaking male contraceptive, called YCT-529, has been introduced as the first hormone-free, oral option in its class. Developed through a partnership between Columbia University in New York and YourChoice Therapeutics, YCT-529 works by blocking the production of sperm, according to a press release. The pill prevents a specific vitamin A metabolite from binding to its receptor in the testicles, disrupting the gene expression process required for sperm production and ultimately pregnancy, noted Scientific American.

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Safety results from an early Phase 1 clinical trial were published on March 13 in Communications Medicine. The trial revealed that in male mice, YCT-529 induced infertility and demonstrated 99% effectiveness in preventing pregnancies within four weeks of use. In male non-human primates, sperm count began to decrease within two weeks of starting the drug. Remarkably, both mice and non-human primates regained full fertility after discontinuing the drug. Mice recovered within six weeks, while non-human primates took about 10 to 15 weeks to restore their sperm count to normal levels. Notably, no side effects were observed in either animal group during the study.

The pill showed positive results when tested on a group of men.

Similarly, no adverse side effects occurred when the drug was finally administered to a group of 16 men during a July 22 study. To evaluate the safety levels of the pill, the group was either given a progressively increasing single dose of YCT-529 or a placebo. The results showed that the drug was well tolerated. These promising findings from the trial have paved the way for a follow-up study, where participants will take YCT-529 for 28 days and 90 days to further assess its safety and monitor changes in sperm parameters.

Although the FDA has approved more than 20 types of contraceptives for women, men currently have just two options to prevent pregnancy in their partners: condoms and vasectomies. While 25% of women rely on oral contraceptive pills, there are no similar options available for men. If YCT-529 passes further safety trials, this male contraceptive could offer couples a new, effective method of birth control.

“A safe and effective male pill will provide more options to couples for birth control,” said Gunda Georg, an author behind the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy’s study. “It will allow a more equitable sharing of responsibility for family planning and provide reproductive autonomy for men.”

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