Birth control pill for men closer
Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) - Researchers have found a drug that could become the world's first contraceptive pill for males, reports ABC News.
American scientists have developed a molecule called JQ1 that reversibly blocks sperm production in mice and rats without changing their sex drive.
An article in today's Cell journal says the drug is not toxic for the animals, has no effect on testosterone or sexual behaviour and does not appear to affect the first generation of offspring after the contraceptive is reversed.
The authors, from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and the University of Oxford in Britain, say that because of reproductive similarities between mice and men, they believe their discoveries could be translated to men.
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They say that until now, hormone-free contraceptive drugs for men have been elusive, contributing to high rates of unplanned pregnancies across the world, especially among teenagers.
The director of clinical research at Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Professor Robert McLachlan, said the study was exciting but extensive animal testing was needed before the drug could be tested on men.
He said scientists would have to ensure its reversibility and specific actions in mice and other mammals, and also prove it was almost universally effective because some mice still had some sperm count while being given the drug.
''Validation on a new class of drugs like this will take many years,'' he said. ''Ultimately, the compound will need to face the challenge of male contraception efficacy trials involving hundreds of couples over several years in order to assess its true effectiveness. This requires industry partners, who at this point in time have been reluctant to engage in male contraceptive initiatives because of concerns such as side effects, efficacy and the size of the potential market.
''It will be fascinating to see how the drug evolves, but we know that such pipelines may require 15 years of evaluation and there are many potential pitfalls.''
