A non-hormonal male contraceptive pill shows promising results in a mouse study. According to the researchers, the substance can be ingested shortly before sex, if necessary. According to a Swiss expert, however, there is still a long way to go.
The US researchers tested the preparation in a series of experiments on mice. The results were published on Tuesday in the renowned journal “Nature Communications”.
According to the study, after taking the active ingredient “TDI-11861”, the male mice were 100% infertile for two hours. Despite 52 different mating attempts, not a single female became pregnant. After 24 hours, male fertility returned to normal. There were no side effects, even with continuous administration of the drug for six weeks.
Approach with potential
Phillipp Quaas, from University Hospital Basel, is also clear: “This approach has potential,” said the doctor who was not involved in the study in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. “But more information is needed to approve this active ingredient as a drug.” In particular, human studies would need to be conducted. So it will be a while before you can buy this pill for men in pharmacies. “If you push it right, this drug could be approved in five to 10 years,” Quaas estimated.
The drug targets an enzyme called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC). This allows the formation of a messenger substance (adenosine monophosphate), which is necessary for sperm motility. If sAC is inhibited, sperm can no longer swim. The finding could be crucial for contraception, the authors wrote in the study.
According to Quaas, the great advantage of this inhibitor is that it acts quickly. The active ingredient makes men infertile in 30 minutes to an hour. “Most current efforts to develop new male contraceptives affect sperm development, which means that contraception requires months of continuous pretreatment,” the authors wrote in the study.
Various active ingredients tested
The new sAC inhibitor isn’t the only drug candidate for the male pill. The active ingredient named “YCT529”, which was first introduced in March 2022, and the active ingredient “VU0546110”, which was introduced in January 2023, are also considered promising. These two non-hormonal contraceptives were also successfully tested in mice.
Research was also being carried out on a hormonal contraceptive injection for men until mid-2011. In a WHO study, 320 study participants were given hormonal injections over a period of several weeks. In terms of contraception, it was very successful. However, about 10% of men reported side effects such as acne, pain at the injection site, increased libido and mood swings, the study said. These risks to study participants outweigh the benefits. (apa)