Male contraceptive pill comes a step closer with vitamin A blockers
A US research team has tweaked some experimental compounds that show promise. Theirs is one of half a dozen male contraception methods, including some very hot baths, now being evaluated
The 20th century saw great strides in the development of birth control methods for women, but no new contraceptive for men has been approved since the introduction of the condom (first recorded descriptions in the 16th century) and vasectomy (in clinical practice since the late 19th century).
Could a male pill now be around the corner, however?
Researchers from the University of Minnesota in the United States suggest they’ve taken a step closer to formulating one by tweaking some experimental compounds that show promise. On March 13, the researchers presented their findings at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in San Diego. California.
There are many different experimental contraception methods being studied, but the Minnesota researchers’ focus is on inhibiting retinoic acid – commonly known as vitamin A – in the testes. Without vitamin A, testicles cannot make sperm.
Jillian Kyzer, a graduate student working on the topic, says the researchers are gaining a better understanding of how tweaks to the chemical structure of their test compounds (experimental male contraceptives developed by drug company Bristol-Myers Squibb) affect the substances’ cellular interactions in the body.
For instance, one of the test compounds is good at inhibiting fertility but isn’t very soluble, so it can’t be taken by mouth. “No one wants to inject themselves with a needle once a day or once a week for most of their lives,” notes Kyzer, whose colleagues have managed to refine the chemical structure of the test compound to make it more soluble.