Second Clinical Trial Begins on University of Minnesota’s Male Birth Control Pill

A second clinical trial is underway that in the future, men could have a new form of preventing pregnancy -- a birth control pill.

And you can thank researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved over 20 types of contraceptives. But only two of them -- condoms and vasectomies -- are available for men to prevent pregnancy.

And even though there's been an oral birth control pill for women, there's nothing available for men to use.

That may change soon.

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A MALE PILL

The U-of-M has been working with Columbia University in New York and YourChoice Therapeutics to develop a male birth control pill.

It's called YCT-529 and it's a hormone-free pill for men. It works by interfering with Vitamin A signaling that's needed for sperm production and fertility.

EARLY ANIMAL TESTS

Testing found the drug caused infertility in mice and was 99% effective in preventing pregnancies a month after use.

In non-human primates, the drug lowered sperm counts within two weeks of starting the drug.

And the effects of the drug are reversible. After stopping the drug, both mice and primates fully regained fertility. For mice -- within six weeks. For primates, 10-15 weeks.

There were no detectable side effects from either mice or non-human primate tests.

HUMAN TESTING

Last year, YourChoice Therapeutics successfully completed its Phase 1 clinical trial on humans.

Now, a second clinical trial is underway to test safety and how effective the drug is on humans.

Nadja Mannowetz is the lead author, chief science officer and co-founder of YourChoice Therapeutics. He says this drug is needed. “With the unintentional pregnancy rate at nearly 50% in the U.S. and globally, we need more contraceptive options, particularly for men,” Mannowetz says.

Researchers are hoping to see FDA approval someday of a pill men can take that will cause stop sperm production, has no side effects and can be reversed.