What if, before each sexual intercourse, men took a pill to block their sperm for a few hours, before giving them their freedom? A study published on Tuesday paves the way for this new avenue in research on male contraception. A molecule has managed “to reduce male fertility quickly and temporarily in mice”, summarizes a press release from the journal Nature, in which this work was published.
Male contraception is currently limited to the use of condoms and the possibility of undergoing a vasectomy, the effects of which may be irreversible. The male pill has remained an unattainable goal for decades, for complex reasons that relate to a lack of interest from the pharmaceutical industry, as well as challenges to be overcome on the physiological level of the perception of virility.
A one-time contraceptive
However, several projects have obtained interesting results after testing in humans. But they still need to be confirmed on larger samples. The study published on Tuesday is at a much earlier stage since it was carried out on mice. Nevertheless, it has the advantage of opening a new track since it is a “one-time” contraceptive and not, like the female pill, a treatment to be taken over time to ensure its effect.
The molecule studied blocks the action of an enzyme, soluble adenylate cyclase, which plays a central role in sperm motility. They are therefore blocked for several hours. In the mice studied, the molecule prevented all pregnancies when intercourse took place within two hours after administration. On the other hand, it no longer had any effect 24 hours later, without any side effects being reported.
A promising system
Still, it is impossible to know, as it stands, if this treatment would work in the same way in humans. The researchers plan to start trials within three years. “I remain a little skeptical that this method will one day be marketed,” admitted British researcher Susan Walker, a contraceptive specialist, who did not participate in the study.
However, if Susan Walker remains cautious in view of the failure of many attempts, she recognizes a “striking advantage” to this potential treatment, the promise of immediate effectiveness. In real life, she notes, it might reassure a woman who finds her partner taking that pill in front of her.