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. (Trial subjects’ criteria and investigators’ contact info at clinicaltrials.gov)
Today’s launch was announced jointly by the Population Council, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine.
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.”
