Deal Made to Produce Male Birth Control Pill

**Julie** · 02-01-2005, 10:45 AM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145948,00.html

A Norwegian company seeking to develop a male birth control (search) pill has signed a licensing agreement with the University of Massachusetts Medical School covering research that could lead to a drug to block sperm's ability to swim and fertilize an egg.

The method that led to the long-term deal announced Monday could expand the decades-long search for a male pill by targeting a protein found only in sperm cells.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester and elsewhere say that approach carries far less risk of side effects than manipulating a man's hormones, the avenue that has attracted the most research aimed at finding alternatives to condoms and vasectomies (search).

"You wouldn't think there would be side effects because there is no other place in the body where these specific proteins are formed," said Dr. Louis De Paolo, associate chief of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, an arm of the National Institutes of Health that has funded male contraception research. "They could make very useful targets for regulating fertility."

Terms of the deal with Oslo-based SpermaTech AS (search) aimed at developing a drug based on the UMass-patented contraception approach were not disclosed.

"We are all very excited about this effort, because the contraceptive pills now available are based on hormones, which float around in the body and have significant side effects elsewhere," said Bjorn Steen Skalhegg, who helped found the Norwegian company in 2001.

Karthik · 02-01-2005, 11:25 AM

Sounds promising. But many people are will still be concerned about the side effects part. But I'll be watching this space alright!

Confed999 · 02-01-2005, 20:17 PM

Never met a woman that did well on the pill, I'd be willing to try it.

**TopHatter** · 02-03-2005, 18:04 PM

Dang....where do I sign up?

Veni Vidi Vici · 02-03-2005, 22:18 PM

Make the men take it... I like it.

Broken · 02-03-2005, 23:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Confed999

Never met a woman that did well on the pill, I'd be willing to try it.

Heh, heh, yeah maybe WE can go crazy instead.

**Julie** · 02-03-2005, 23:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken

Heh, heh, yeah maybe WE can go crazy instead.

Geez....it can get worse?

**TopHatter** · 02-04-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie

Geez....it can get worse?

Oh come on Julie, don't you think it ought to be mandatory for unmarried guys to take this male pill?

**Julie** · 02-04-2005, 18:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopHatter

Oh come on Julie, don't you think it ought to be mandatory for unmarried guys to take this male pill?

Well, heck yeah I do since it would surely protect the men that believe the woman when she says she's on the pill (but really isn't).

**TopHatter** · 02-05-2005, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie

Well, heck yeah I do since it would surely protect the men that believe the woman when she says she's on the pill (but really isn't).

Oh please, why on Earth would any woman do such a thing?

Personally, if they ever approve such a pill, I know somebody who'll be first in line to get it.....like, say...ME! (One $500 pat test is enough...even if was negative)

Confed999 · 02-05-2005, 14:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken

Heh, heh, yeah maybe WE can go crazy instead.

Ask a woman, we're allready crazy.

My hope is that since this isn't hormonal, it will have reduced side effects.

Veni Vidi Vici · 02-05-2005, 15:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Confed999

Ask a woman, we're allready crazy.

Damn strait.

Confed999 · 02-05-2005, 15:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici

Damn strait.

If we weren't, you wouldn't love us.

**TopHatter** · 02-05-2005, 18:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici

Damn strait.

George Strait?

**Julie** · 02-05-2005, 19:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopHatter

George Strait?

He's crazy?

02-01-2005, 10:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Julie Moderator Join Date: 08-04-03 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 6,806 Country:	Deal Made to Produce Male Birth Control Pill http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145948,00.html A Norwegian company seeking to develop a male birth control (search) pill has signed a licensing agreement with the University of Massachusetts Medical School covering research that could lead to a drug to block sperm's ability to swim and fertilize an egg. The method that led to the long-term deal announced Monday could expand the decades-long search for a male pill by targeting a protein found only in sperm cells. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester and elsewhere say that approach carries far less risk of side effects than manipulating a man's hormones, the avenue that has attracted the most research aimed at finding alternatives to condoms and vasectomies (search). "You wouldn't think there would be side effects because there is no other place in the body where these specific proteins are formed," said Dr. Louis De Paolo, associate chief of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, an arm of the National Institutes of Health that has funded male contraception research. "They could make very useful targets for regulating fertility." Terms of the deal with Oslo-based SpermaTech AS (search) aimed at developing a drug based on the UMass-patented contraception approach were not disclosed. "We are all very excited about this effort, because the contraceptive pills now available are based on hormones, which float around in the body and have significant side effects elsewhere," said Bjorn Steen Skalhegg, who helped found the Norwegian company in 2001.

02-01-2005, 11:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
Karthik Seeker of Rivendell *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 12-15-04 Posts: 1,569 Country:	Sounds promising. But many people are will still be concerned about the side effects part. But I'll be watching this space alright! __________________ "There is no excellence in all this world that can be separated from right living." - David Star Jordan My Blog

02-01-2005, 20:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
Confed999 Staff Emeritus Join Date: 09-10-03 Location: Florida Posts: 10,681 Country:	Never met a woman that did well on the pill, I'd be willing to try it. __________________ No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

02-03-2005, 18:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
TopHatter Administrator Join Date: 09-03-03 Posts: 9,919 Country:	Dang....where do I sign up? __________________ If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ~John Quincy Adams

02-03-2005, 22:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Veni Vidi Vici *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 11-28-04 Location: The Great Southern USA, Georgia Posts: 976	Make the men take it... I like it. __________________ "Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS…" -- Thomas Paine

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
INDIA’S NEW "COLD START" WAR DOCTRINE STRATEGICALLY REVIEWED	Ray	Land Forces	125	06-20-2008 23:33 PM
What is Best MBT in Asia?	dabrownguy	Land Forces	282	04-04-2008 11:47 AM
India defends civilian nuclear deal with US	Endangered	South Asian Defense Topics	215	10-03-2006 02:45 AM
Bangladesh plays the China card	Ray	South Asian Defense Topics	136	10-17-2005 10:14 AM
The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll: General Pervez Musharraf	indianguy4u	South Asian Defense Topics	0	08-29-2005 04:18 AM