RESUMO
Globally, nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Male contraceptives offer the potential to decrease unintended pregnancy and introduce contraceptive equity, but decades of research have yet to bring a novel product to market. New funding avenues from the philanthropic sector seek to stimulate research in male contraceptives through investments, grants, and support for trainees alongside other programs that encourage product development and ultimately commercialization. This Forum outlines the purpose of and funding opportunities provided by Male Contraceptive Initiative, a funding agency and non-profit focused on the advancement of non-hormonal, reversible contraceptive technologies for those who produce sperm.
Assuntos
Anticoncepcionais Masculinos , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/economia , Desenvolvimento de Medicamentos/economia , Desenvolvimento de Medicamentos/tendências , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Organizações sem Fins Lucrativos , Gravidez , Gravidez não Planejada , Apoio à Pesquisa como AssuntoAssuntos
Anticoncepcionais Masculinos , Descoberta de Drogas , Animais , Antiespermatogênicos , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/efeitos adversos , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/economia , Indústria Farmacêutica , Géis , Humanos , Masculino , Marketing de Serviços de Saúde , National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U.S.) , Apoio à Pesquisa como Assunto , Estados UnidosAssuntos
Anticoncepção/métodos , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/farmacologia , Oligospermia/induzido quimicamente , Animais , Anticoncepção/economia , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/química , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/economia , Desenho de Fármacos , Genitália Masculina/anatomia & histologia , Genitália Masculina/fisiologia , Humanos , Masculino , Marketing , Mesterolona/efeitos adversos , Mesterolona/análogos & derivados , Mesterolona/química , Mesterolona/farmacologia , Camundongos , Contagem de Espermatozoides , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Espermatozoides/citologia , Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacosAssuntos
Anticoncepcionais Femininos/provisão & distribuição , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/provisão & distribuição , Parceiros Sexuais/psicologia , Atitude Frente a Saúde , Anticoncepcionais Femininos/efeitos adversos , Anticoncepcionais Femininos/economia , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/efeitos adversos , Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/economia , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Femininos/efeitos adversos , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Femininos/economia , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Femininos/provisão & distribuição , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Femininos/tendências , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/efeitos adversos , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/economia , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/provisão & distribuição , Dispositivos Anticoncepcionais Masculinos/tendências , Preparações de Ação Retardada , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Fatores SexuaisRESUMO
Reversible contraceptive methods for males are still not available. During the last few years several marketing studies have clearly shown that men and women would welcome a situation where men could assume responsibility for family planning. Schering AG and Organon are currently collaborating to develop a hormonal method for male fertility control based on the combination of etonogestrel as gestagenic component and testosterone undecanoate. To further optimize male contraceptives in terms of improved efficiency, rapid onset, reversibility, fewer side effects and a convenient method of application, a search for innovative non-hormonal approaches was started. During the last few years, numerous proteins were identified which play a specific role in male fertility. These proteins have first to fulfil a set of indication-specific criteria before a drug discovery process can be initiated. The most important criteria for a putative target protein are tissue-selective expression, crucial biological function in fertility, drugable properties and feasibility of assay development for high-throughput-screening and lead optimization. The G-protein-coupled receptor HE6 was selected as target and the above selection criteria were applied. HE6 displays a preferred epididymis-specific expression pattern and belongs to the superfamily of GPCRs, which are well known to be drugable with small molecules. A knockout mouse was generated which revealed an infertility phenotype with the onset occurring 6 weeks after initiation of spermatogenesis at the latest. Surprisingly, no epididymis-specific phenotype was observed. Instead, the reabsorption of testicular fluid along the efferent ducts was strongly affected. No further obvious side effects were observed in male or female mice. This study with HE6 exemplifies how targets for male contraception have to be validated before drug development can start.