Experimental birth control pill… for men

Men are resistant to contraceptive pills. I know. I did clinical trials with them. However, a new birth control pill for men – called DMAU (dimethandrolone undecanoate) – taken every day for a month, may win men over.

The experimental male pill combines a male hormone like testosterone, and a female hormone like progesterone. Progress toward a male birth control pill has stalled because available oral forms of testosterone can cause liver inflammation and clear the body too quickly for once-daily dosing.

However, DMAU is long-acting enough. The Washington University study on 83 healthy men, between the ages of 18 and 50 tested three different doses of DMAU (100, 200, and 400mg) and two different formulations inside the capsules (castor oil and powder).

Each dose group included five subjects who were randomly assigned to receive an inactive placebo and another 12 to 15 men who received DMAU.

Subjects took the drug or placebo for 28 days, once daily with food (DMAU must be taken with food to be effective).

At the highest dose of DMAU tested, 400mg, subjects showed “marked suppression” of testosterone levels and two other hormones necessary for sperm production. The levels are low enough for effective contraception.

The study’s senior investigator, Stephanie Page said: “Despite having low levels of circulating testosterone, very few subjects reported symptoms consistent with testosterone deficiency or excess.

“These promising results are unprecedented in the development of a prototype male pill.

“Longer term studies are currently under way to confirm that DMAU taken every day blocks sperm production.”

All groups taking DMAU did have weight gain and decreases in HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

All subjects passed safety tests, including the markers of liver and kidney function.