Researchers Discover a Potential Method to Develop a Non-Hormonal Male Contraceptive Pill Without Permanent Effects
BIOTECHNOLOGY
10/31/2024
It is undeniable that contraceptive options for men are more limited than for women, and those available often have permanent effects on fertility. Offering a solution to this issue, researchers from Monash University have proposed a new hormone-free, reversible male contraceptive pill technology in their study published in Nature Communications in September 2024. Based on previous findings revealing that removing two key proteins—α1A-adrenergic receptor and P2X1-purinergic receptor, which trigger sperm transport—can produce contraceptive effects without impacting sexual health or long-term fertility, researchers focused on making P2X1 a target for a new contraceptive drug. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), they successfully mapped the structure of P2X1 and confirmed protein-ligand interactions that can inhibit its activity. This breakthrough opens new avenues for research and the development of safer contraceptive technology for men in the future.
