Men get the heads up on possible oral contraceptive
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The secret of GTx' oral formulation was the development of a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), which had the ability to suppress sperm production.
SARMs are new synthetic non-steroidal molecules which have the ability to mimic steroids by acting on receptors but without the unwanted side effects.
But unlike steroids, SARMs can easily be formulated into an oral form, which, Dalton said, would increase convenience for the users.
GTx' male contraceptive candidate C-31 works by suppressing luteinising hormone, which in turn, suppresses testosterone production. A lack of testosterone stops the production of sperm.
Dalton and Ohio State University graduate student Amanda Jones treated animals for three months with the oral formulation and found that sperm production was halted. When taken off the medication, the researchers found the animals' fertility returned after 100 days.
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C-31 as an oral male contraceptive is still about five years away from Phase I clinical trials.
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Am I the only one who has noticed that pharmaceutical companies have been putting very little effort into developing a viable contraceptive alternative for men?
I mean, we seem to have a promising drug in the works here but five years until Phase I of clinical trials? Really?
Speaking as a man who hates condoms, it is difficult to deal with. You have to have a girlfriend who is willing to take the pill and that you can trust to take it. I, of course, will wear condoms if she is not comfortable taking the pill but seriously... the lack of options for men is just ridiculous. None of our primary options are very good... abstinence is not a solution, condoms are at best clumsy, and a vasectomy is permanent.
I really wish that there were better options. Hopefully some pharmaceutical company wakes up soon and puts some effort into developing an effective male contraceptive in a timely fashion.
SARMs sound great but we are likely looking at 8-10 years before they are available, if it ever happens.