A compound referred to as EP055 has proven promise in slowing down the sperm of monkeys with out disrupting their hormones, in keeping with a brand new research revealed within the journal PLOS ONE.
This might, sooner or later, result in a male contraceptive “pill” which will not have important unwanted effects—though that is nonetheless a great distance off.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and the Oregon National Primate Research Center discovered that the sperm of the male rhesus macaques that had been examined stopped transferring 30 hours after the compound was administered intravenously.
“Our compound stops sperm from swimming,” Michael O’Rand, a retired professor of cell biology and physiology on the UNC School of Medicine and lead creator of the research, advised Newsweek.
“It works by binding to the protein EPPIN on the surface of sperm. This is a non-hormonal approach to male contraception,” O’Rand stated. “Unlike a hormonal approach, this compound does not stop sperm from being made in the testis or interfere with male hormones.”
Currently, the one contraception choices open to males are condoms and vasectomies, that are costly and tough to reverse. While there are a number of completely different approaches for male contraception being trialed, most have an effect on hormones which might have detrimental unwanted effects (very like feminine contraceptive drugs).
In their research, the researchers didn’t observe any bodily unwanted effects within the monkeys. Eighteen days after being given the contraception, the animals confirmed indicators of full restoration, indicating that the consequences are reversible.
“So far, all indications are that the compound is safe,” O’Rand stated. “No adverse events were noted in the monkeys given the compound.”
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Monkey research is not going to essentially reproduce the identical outcomes as superior human scientific trials, nevertheless, O’Rand famous that they’re in all probability pretty much as good a mannequin as attainable. The monkeys are “certainly superior to rodent models” which have very completely different reproductive programs.
Nevertheless, way more analysis must be performed into the compound earlier than it’s prepared for human use. The scientists have begun testing a capsule type of the compound and the following step can be to ultimately conduct a monkey mating trial to check EP055’s effectiveness towards being pregnant.