Birth Control pills for men undergo pioneering trials in UK

A groundbreaking development in contraception is unfolding as a group of men in the UK have become the world’s first to test a new hormone-free male contraceptive pill. The initiative aims to expand the spectrum of shared responsibility for contraception between genders, currently limited to condoms or vasectomy for men, while women have a variety of contraceptive options.

Unlike traditional female contraceptive pills, the male pill, known as YCT-529, is hormone-free. Classified as a retinoic acid receptor-alpha inhibitor, it hinders sperm production by impeding access to vitamin A. Historical studies spanning over 90 years indicate that depriving mice, rats, and monkeys of vitamin A leads to infertility.

YourChoice Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, reports that preclinical studies demonstrated the pill’s remarkable efficacy, with a 99% success rate and complete reversibility without side effects. Notably, previous attempts at male contraception involved suppressing testosterone, which proved incomplete in halting sperm production and posed complications.

The ongoing phase 1 trial, involving 16 men in the UK, is conducted by Quotient Sciences, a drug development company based in Nottingham. Gunda Georg, regents professor at the University of Minnesota’s College of Pharmacy, spearheaded the pill’s development, emphasizing its hormone-free nature as a significant stride in contraception innovation.

Acknowledging the historical gap in male contraception, Akash Bakshi, co-founder and CEO of YourChoice Therapeutics, highlighted the pill’s distinctive approach. YCT-529 blocks a protein, not hormones, to prevent sperm production, potentially offering a more appealing choice for men who perceive pregnancy prevention as a shared responsibility.

“We believe this will be more attractive to men, most of whom view pregnancy prevention as a shared responsibility even despite today’s limited contraceptive options, which are permanent or only moderately effective,” Bakshi remarked.

The research team aims to challenge the conventional notion that pregnancy prevention is solely a woman’s responsibility, striving to introduce an effective, convenient, and temporary hormone-free birth control pill for men.