Developing an on-demand nonhormonal male pill and a sperm motility test
Assessing inhibitor efficacy in vivo and developing a biomarker for use during early phase clinical trials
Developing short-acting oral drugs men could take before sex to temporarily prevent pregnancy and a simple sperm motility test to show the drugs are working.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11101388 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are making drugs that block soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) to stop sperm from becoming motile and fertilizing an egg. They will test optimized inhibitors in animals, including a second non-rodent model, to show the drugs work in the body. The team will validate sperm motility as a quick pharmacodynamic marker to use in early human trials. The goal is to pick a lead oral, nonhormonal candidate (with backups) that can move toward an IND and first-in-human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Healthy men of reproductive age interested in using or testing an on-demand nonhormonal contraceptive would be the ideal candidates for future trials.
Not a fit: People seeking permanent sterilization, women, or men with infertility who want to conceive would not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could give men a safe, reversible, oral nonhormonal option to prevent pregnancy on demand.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic and pharmacologic work has made male mice temporarily infertile and blocked in vitro fertilization, but human testing of this approach has not yet been completed.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buck, Jochen — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Buck, Jochen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.