Male birth control pill, Americans close to discovery
Birth control pill for men (commonly called “pill”), it has been talked about for years but, perhaps, a step forward in this direction has been made by a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota. The team of researchers presented some results (a study in laboratory mice showing the potential of a hormonal non-contraceptive male pill) to Spring meeting of the American Chemical Society.The first birth control pill dedicated to women was born in the 1950s thanks to a group of researchers led by Gregory Pincus. The mix of hormones devised by Pincus was able to alter the menstrual cycle and thus block ovulation. This discovery has helped millions of women to control / choose their pregnancies. For decades, attempts have been made to develop a similar pill for men, but to date, no product has come onto the market.
Male birth control pill, the side effects seen in the clinical study
The research on the “male pill” found that many of the compounds used to prevent sperm production apply a hormonal mechanism similar to that of women but, with testosterone as a target. However, the complicated hormonal balance of humans leads to side effects easily. Just as the birth control pill for women sometimes creates some critical issues in men, similarly, side effects were felt during the clinical study. These include weight gain, depression or lack of desire. The Minnesota team thus created a compound designed to block one form of vitamin A, the alpha receptor of retinoic acid, important in the formation of spermatozoa. The study showed that blocking the gene that produces this protein in mice renders them sterile. Thus a molecule was sought that would produce the same effect in man.
Male birth control pill, the product called YCT529
Among the compounds that the researchers thought capable of selectively inhibiting retinoic acid, one was found, called YCT529 (YourChoice Therapeutics, is the company that owns the rights). It had a surprising effect on mice to such an extent that pregnancies dropped by 99%. Without the pill, the animals have fully regained their reproductive capacity. José Gutiérrez Ales, president of the Spanish Contraception Society, interviewee on the topic considered the results interesting “Having such a high ability to bind to the alpha receptor gives it a very useful specificity in any drug, because, in principle, it will only have the desired effects, even if the transition to humans leads almost always surprises “. The researchers plan to begin human trials later this year. Obviously, only human clinical trials will be able to demonstrate whether this drug is effective, without side effects and reversible. In the past, scientific difficulties and economic disinterest have prevented the advent of contraceptive alternatives for men beyond condoms and vasectomies. Stopping the production of millions of sperm from ejaculation seems more difficult than doing the same with a single egg. However, some human clinical trials have managed to do this successfully.
Male birth control pills, some promising studies
One of the most promising ones was led by Douglas Colvard di CONRAD (Research and Development in Contraception) e sostenuto by WHO. 266 participants studied in one year. During that period only four pregnancies and in 94.8% of cases the ability to produce sperm remained unaffected after the injections stopped. Another study (1,000 people in China) with an injectable hormonal contraceptive it proved valid but the company that developed the drug, Zhejiang Xian Ju Pharmaceutical, did not bring it to market. But the success of the female pill contributed to all this “disinterest”. Pharmaceutical companies and gynecologists are not convinced that men would take the “pill” when it might helpAnd so the responsibility for unwanted pregnancies for the time being will continue to remain in the will of the female world.