Phase 1 of the trial of the non-hormonal male contraceptive pill has begun. The objective is to evaluate the effect of the drug YCT-529 on 16 healthy men
Men are close to acquiring a new safe and effective contraceptive method. This is because, in recent days, clinical tests have begun with the first hormone-free pill, capable of temporarily preventing the production of sperm.
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A non-hormonal male contraceptive pill It does not yet have a commercial name, being known only as YCT-529. However, the drug developed by the North American biopharmaceutical company YourChoice Therapeutics could become a historic achievement, expanding the possibilities of preventing pregnancy.
Until then, Male options for preventing fertilization of an egg are relatively limited, such as condom use, vasectomy, or intercourse interruption. With the potential pill you can adopt a new safe and effective way.
Pill for men
When it comes to female contraceptives, most of these drugs intended for women depend on the presence of hormones to inhibit ovulation and, consequently, prevent the fertilization of the egg by the partner’s sperm. However, the use of hormones in this type of formula has unwanted effects. Some may even increase your risk of cancer.
For the biopharmaceutical company responsible for this research aimed at men, the idea was always to develop a hormone-free male contraceptive. In this case, users should not experience mood changes or suffer from acne, which can increase adherence.
“YCT-529 blocks a protein – not hormones – to prevent sperm production,” explains Akash Bakshi, co-founder and CEO of YourChoice Therapeutics, in a statement. “We believe this will be more attractive to men, especially those who consider pregnancy prevention a shared responsibility,” he adds.
How does the male contraceptive work?
To arrive at this formulation, researchers studied the relationship between vitamin A and male fertility. Science has known about this connection for years, but that knowledge has never been transformed into a potential contraceptive method, like the one currently being tested.
In this context, the YCT-529 pill is classified as a retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR alpha) inhibitor. Under normal conditions, this receptor binds to retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, acting in the production of sperm. With drugs this process is temporarily interrupted in the testicles.
Testing with the pill
In preclinical tests, the team achieved promising results in animals. For example, the pill dramatically reduced sperm counts in mice, with an estimated effectiveness in preventing pregnancy 99%. The effect was reversible in all subjects and did not generate adverse effects.
Now researchers hope to achieve the same result in human tests. For this Phase 1, 16 healthy men, over the age of 25, who will receive the medicine, have been recruited.
The expectation is that this first phase will be completed by the end of the first half of 2024, but, before reaching the market, it will have to undergo more extensive testing. It is not yet possible to estimate when the contraceptive pill will be widely available, if all goes according to plan.
Source: BusinessWire AND NIH
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