Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy have developed a new hormone-free male birth control pill called YCT-529. The drug has entered clinical trials after showing promising results in animal studies. YCT-529 was 99% effective in preventing pregnancies within four weeks of use in male mice.
The drug also lowered sperm counts in male non-human primates within two weeks of starting the drug. Both mice and non-human primates fully regained fertility after stopping the drug, with mice recovering within six weeks and non-human primates within 10-15 weeks. No side effects were detected in either group.
University advances male birth control research
A safe and effective male pill will provide more options to couples for birth control,” said Gunda Georg, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the College of Pharmacy where the drug molecule was developed. It will allow a more equitable sharing of responsibility for family planning and provide reproductive autonomy for men.
YCT-529 completed a phase 1 clinical trial in 2024 conducted by YourChoice Therapeutics.
The drug is currently undergoing safety and efficacy testing in a second clinical trial. This study laid the groundwork for human clinical trials of YCT-529, which are progressing efficiently,” said Nadja Mannowetz, lead author, chief science officer, and co-founder of YourChoice Therapeutics. With the unintentional pregnancy rate at nearly 50% in the U.S. and globally, we need more contraceptive options, particularly for men.
While the FDA has approved more than 20 types of contraceptives, only two options currently exist for men: condoms and vasectomies.
Although about 25% of women who use contraception rely on the oral birth control pill, there is no equivalent pill available for men. The National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, YourChoice Therapeutics, and the Male Contraceptive Initiative supported the research.
Image Credits: Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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