We are waiting for the continuation
A safe contraceptive pill for men is presented
Alexey Yevglevsky, Naked Science
The annual conference of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 2019) is taking place in New Orleans (USA) from March 23 to 26. Scientists from the University of Washington made a report in which they reported on successful clinical trials of a contraceptive drug for men.
Article by Wu et al. Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Single-Dose Novel Oral Androgen 11β-Methyl-19-Nortestosterone-17β-Dodecylcarbonate in Men published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism – VM.
In recent years, scientists have been looking for an alternative to vasectomy and condoms as a means of contraception for men. Various gels, injections and pills were offered, but they remained ineffective. Biologists from the University of Washington and the Biomedical Research Institute of Los Angeles have developed a new tool that has proven effective on a sample of 40 men.
The working name of the drug is 11–beta-MNTDC, which stands for 11-beta-methyl-19-nortestosterone-17-beta-dodecyl carbonate. During clinical trials, 30 people received it, 10 men were given a placebo. The tests lasted 28 days. The volunteers took one capsule of 11-beta-MNTDC once a day with meals. The dose ranged from 200 to 400 milligrams.
The drug contains a form of progesterone, a steroid hormone that blocks the production of luteinizing (LH) and follicle–stimulating (FSH) hormones – both are necessary for sperm production. To offset the decrease in male hormones, the drug also contains androgens (steroid male sex hormones). According to Professor Stephanie Page, who participated in the development, androgens support "masculinity" in the body, that is, they preserve the hairline, low voice, libido and muscle mass.
Those who took 11-beta-MNTDC had significantly decreased levels of LH and FSH compared to the control group, which implies a stop in sperm production. However, the authors say that this was not the main purpose of the study. They wanted to check what side effects might occur. Five participants reported a change in libido, two reported mild erectile dysfunction, some complained of fatigue and headaches.
The researchers say this is just the beginning of the trials. In the future, they plan to directly measure the drop in sperm production, but the suspension itself may take at least three months. There are more large-scale trials ahead, which, depending on their results, may last for 10 years before the drug is available for sale.
Previously, scientists have developed a long-acting female contraceptive in the form of a patch. It will be delivered to the body using microneedles, which were originally developed for the painless administration of vaccines.
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