Birth control pill for males? Scientists developing hormone–free contraceptive tablet, sperms production...,name is...
The contraceptive tablet, YCT-529, which does not contain any hormones, has already demonstrated positive results in animal testing, preventing 99 per cent of pregnancies when tested in mice. Although further testing is necessary, this promising success in early testing brings greater hope that the pill may soon be a safe and effective birth control option for men.
According to a Daily Mail report, the hormone-free contraceptive tablet YCT-529 works by blocking access to vitamin A within the testes, thus preventing sperm from being produced. Subsequently, it will not affect testosterone levels. Notably, a man's libido is unaffected while the pill is being taken.
As experts hope to have a male contraceptive pill available by the end of this decade, this is the only one being tested in humans right now. In the most recent trial, researchers recruited 16 men, then gave them different dosages over several days. 'Instead of testing how effective it was in humans – all of the men had undergone vasectomies – the aim was to discover if there were any side–effects,' reads the Daily Mail report.
Analysis indicated that participants did not have any significant changes in heart rate, hormonal function, inflammation, mood, or sexual function. The next stage for the researchers is to conduct larger trials to assess how effective the pill is at preventing sperm production in humans. Experts stated that the findings of this safety trial, published in Communications Medicine, represent an important first step to the pill becoming approved and available.
According to the results of the safety trial, published in the journal Communications Medicine, a total of 16 male volunteers were enrolled to receive single oral doses of 10, 30, 90 or 180 mg of YCT-529 in the fasted state. Volunteers also received 30 mg in the fed state to study the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of YCT-529.
What were the results of the test? Well, as per the results published in the Journal Communications Medicine, single doses of up to 180 mg of YCT-529 had no effects on heart rate, hormone (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone), sex hormone-binding globulin or inflammatory biomarker levels, sexual desire or mood. Further, there was no clear food effect on the pharmacokinetics of YCT-529. The name of the study is Safety and pharmacokinetics of the non-hormonal male contraceptive YCT-529.
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