Male pill on its way
The new drug, called YCT-529, is a first-in-class, hormone-free and orally administered male contraceptive and was developed in collaboration with Columbia University in New York and YourChoice Therapeutics in the United States.
It works as a contraceptive by stopping the production of sperm.
Among all of the contraceptives approved for use by the FDA, the Federal Drug Administration, there have only been two approved for male use, condoms and vasectomies. Pic: Shutterstock
But now, new research has found that when trialled in mice, this new drug caused infertility and was 99% effective in preventing pregnancies within four weeks of use.
In further tests in male non-human primates, the drug lowered sperm counts within two weeks of starting the drug.
Both the mice and the non-human primates fully regained fertility after stopping the drug, in a time of six weeks for mice, and 10-15 weeks for the primates.
No side effects from the drug were detected in either group. Pic:Gunda Georg, one of the authors of this new study, and a professor in the Minnesota College of Pharmacy, says this new drug will allow a more equitable sharing of responsibility for family planning and provide reproductive autonomy for men.
The new research showed that the new drug, named YCT-529 is now suitable for human studies, and a phase 1 clinical trial for the drug was completed successfully in 2024 by YourChoice Therapeutics.
The drug is currently undergoing safety and efficacy testing in a second clinical trial.
But it's not yet known how receptive men will be to this new contraceptive measure and even more so, how women will react in trusting men to take it.
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Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Extra.ie
Male pill on its way
The first ever hormone free birth control pill for men, could be on the market sooner than you think. The new drug, called YCT-529, is a first-in-class, hormone-free and orally administered male contraceptive and was developed in collaboration with Columbia University in New York and YourChoice Therapeutics in the United States. It works as a contraceptive by stopping the production of sperm. Among all of the contraceptives approved for use by the FDA, the Federal Drug Administration, there have only been two approved for male use, condoms and vasectomies. Pic: Shutterstock But now, new research has found that when trialled in mice, this new drug caused infertility and was 99% effective in preventing pregnancies within four weeks of use. In further tests in male non-human primates, the drug lowered sperm counts within two weeks of starting the drug. Both the mice and the non-human primates fully regained fertility after stopping the drug, in a time of six weeks for mice, and 10-15 weeks for the primates. No side effects from the drug were detected in either group. Pic:Gunda Georg, one of the authors of this new study, and a professor in the Minnesota College of Pharmacy, says this new drug will allow a more equitable sharing of responsibility for family planning and provide reproductive autonomy for men. The new research showed that the new drug, named YCT-529 is now suitable for human studies, and a phase 1 clinical trial for the drug was completed successfully in 2024 by YourChoice Therapeutics. The drug is currently undergoing safety and efficacy testing in a second clinical trial. But it's not yet known how receptive men will be to this new contraceptive measure and even more so, how women will react in trusting men to take it.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
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Contraceptive pill for men that doesn't alter hormones is safe to take, study suggests
Oral female contraceptive tablets have been available for 60 years but there has never been an authorised male version. Female tablets work by altering hormone levels to reduce the risk of conception but this approach has proven difficult in men because of severe side effects such as infertility and mood swings. These side effects are common in female versions. YourChoice Therapeutics has developed the first non-hormonal contraceptive for men which works by blocking the production of a protein, which is needed to produce sperm, and not meddling with hormones. The drug stops production of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR-alpha) in the body and this prevents it binding to vitamin A compounds and subsequently prevents sperm production. Animal studies showed this mechanism to be 99pc effective and also found that sperm levels returned to normal after the medication was stopped, showing the contraceptive to be temporary and reversible. Human trials began in 2023 when 16 healthy men who had already had a vasectomy were recruited to test the safety of the drug in people. Data, published this week, show it to be safe and well-tolerated with no clinically relevant side effects in a significant step forward for the prospects of the drug, known as YCT-529. The trial of 16 British men gave participants either the tablet or a placebo and conducted analysis on the participants to measure their blood, urine, mood and overall health. Four different dosages were tested and all were found to be well-tolerated. The highest dose was the same as what was shown to be effective as a contraceptive in animal trials. There was no reduction in testosterone levels, sex drive or any other hormonal imbalance, the scientists found. 'The positive results from this first clinical trial laid the groundwork for a second trial, where men receive YCT-529 for 28 days and 90 days, to study safety and changes in sperm parameters,' the study authors write in their peer-reviewed study in the journal Communications Medicine.
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