Male birth control pill shows promising results in the first human test
Scientists have tested a new male contraceptive pill in the first human test. The safety of the drug and lack of hormonal side effects can open the future of male birth control options.
In short
- Experimental medicine was tolerated with or without food intake
- The study showed no major side effects or hormone changes
- Mood and libido remain stable throughout the test
After decades of progress in non-hormonal male contraception, scientists are now close to a success. A new drug, called YCT-529, has been taken as a pill, has recently shown promising results in the initial stage human test.
The drug works by blocking a protein involved in sperm production, in particular, by disrupting the action of retinoic acid, a form of vitamin A that plays an important role in the development of sperm in the testes. The results of the test were published in Journal Communications Medicine.
Drug YCT-529 is a non-hormonal oral pill developed in New York in collaboration with the University of Columbia and Eurchais Theraputics, a bioformacutical company conducting clinical trials.
Previously, the bullet showed the first 99% efficacy in mice and male monkey experiments, in which mice were obtained within 6 weeks and in monkeys within 10 to 15 weeks.
Unlike other experimental male contraceptives, YCT-529 does not affect the level of hormone, making it more attractive to safe and long-term use.
In this first human study, 16 healthy male volunteers were given single doses of pellet in separate strength – 10, 30, 90 and 180 mg.
He was closely monitored for side effects and changes in important health indicators, including heart rate, mood, sexual desire and hormone levels.
The results were encouraging: no major side effects were made and the drug did not affect the level of testosterone or other reproductive hormones.
The mood and libido remain unchanged, reducing concerns about psychological or sexuality.
Even the highest dose of 180 mg was well tolerated.
Researchers also tested how the drug behaves when taken with food and found no major differences, meaning that it can be taken with or without food.
It was a phase 1A test designed to test the safety of a drug before going to large studies that see how effective it is on its intended objective, in this case, reducing sperm count to prevent pregnancy.
Although this is still in the early days, the success of YCT-529 in this test is an optimistic sign for the future of non-hormonal male birth control-an area that has not seen much progress in the last 50 years.
