Three U.S. sites are enrolling couples in the first clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a gel for men to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Today’s launch was announced jointly by the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Population Council, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute.
The gel being tested is composed of Nestorone® (segesterone acetate), a progestin hormone used for female contraception, and testosterone. NES/T is a novel, reversible contraceptive for men designed to be absorbed through the skin on the upper arms and shoulders.
“The potential of this new gel is huge,” said William Bremner, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and trial director in Seattle. “There is a misperception that men are not interested in, or are even afraid of, tools to control their own fertility. We know that’s not the case.”
Previous multinational surveys have shown that more than half of men say they would use a male contraceptive if it is reversible and uncomplicated. Proving efficacy and acceptability is essential to overcoming misperceptions that men aren’t interested in new contraceptive options.
“We hope that results from this trial will help pave the way for renewed interest in male contraceptive development and propel this important public health work forward,” said Stephanie Page, a UW professor of medicine and a study principal investigator.
Further details available at the UW Medicine Newsroom.
