Scientists from Cornell University reported that in preclinical tests, their investigational medication temporarily inhibits sperm in mice and prevents conception.
Researchers from Cornell University discovered that their investigational drug temporarily suppresses mouse sperm and prevents fertilisation in preclinical experiments. The researchers referred to their strategy as a “game-changer” that might open the door for a male birth control pill and ultimately divide the burden of birth control among both sex. In mouse models, the contraceptive was completely successful in preventing pregnancy for roughly 2 hours, according to the findings published in Nature Communications, with total fertility returning 24 hours later.
Other than using condoms during sexual activity or getting a vasectomy, males have no other effective ways to stop their sperm from fertilising their partner
Despite the fact that several earlier trials on experimental male contraceptives also had remarkable success rates, the majority of them interfere with sperm development, which means that it takes months for the contraceptive to be effective and just as long to remove its effects.
Developing a male contraceptive by using natural infertility causes
In order for sperm to travel, they need a protein called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC), which is absent in people with rare genetic abnormalities, rendering them infertile. Hence, the researchers came up with the concept of testing a sAC-inhibiting medication as a male contraceptive. Sperm can no longer go up the vaginal tube to fertilise an egg once they become immobile.
The scientists evaluated the mobility of sperm taken from 17 male mice, eight of which had the chemical administered to them, to validate the effectiveness of destroying sperm motility. Just 6% of the sperm were typically mobile in samples taken two hours after the animals received the medication, compared to 30% in samples from control mice.
The innovative contraceptive is also quickly reversible because the effect vanished after around 24 hours.
Also, the scientists paired 52 male mice with female mice 30 minutes after administering the contraceptive medication to the males. Each pair had mated after two hours, and since there were no pregnancies, the contraception was completely successful. Furthermore, mice got a comparable drug at three times the regular dose for 42 days without experiencing any adverse effects.
Before going on to clinical trials, researchers are currently planning to improve the medication so that it lasts longer.
The ultimate objective would be to develop a pill that men may take right before sex in order to control their fertility on a daily basis.
Parvathy Sukumaran 
