US scientists are developing unisex birth control from deworming pill

Lupeol, a compound used in deworming medication, can bind proteins in the sperm cell preventing it from fertilising the egg.

Health Medicine

When Polina Lishko and Nadja Mannowetz of YourChoice Therapeutics, first came together to brainstorm for a new form of birth control, they weren’t looking to target the male contraceptives market at all. They simply wanted to produce a contraceptive for women which would not have the side effects of traditional hormonal birth control. However, the resulting product was a non-hormonal birth control medication which could potentially be taken by a man or woman.

Through their research, they discovered a medication which would act to suppress sperm cells, rendering them unable to penetrate the egg and thereby preventing fertilisation. The scientists discovered that a chemical compound called lupeol, which has been recognised as a “wonder drug” for its several medicinal properties like eradicating tapeworm infestations, was key to their drug.

With this knowledge, they hope to modify and test the lupeol containing medication for its potential as a contraceptive. The principle behind this is the same as it would be for treating tapeworm infestations – the medication works by binding to the tapeworm and preventing it from reproducing, eventually killing off the tapeworm.

Similarly, lupeol could bind to the proteins in the sperm cell which enable it to fertilise an egg, reducing their functionality. According to the research published by the two scientists, the molecules in the pill will interact with sperm cells and leave them essentially lacking the energy they would require to successfully fertilise a woman’s egg. The research was done as part of the Bakar Fellows Program, a research facility at UC Berkeley.

Hormonal birth control medication has a wide variety of side effects. However, these side effects reduce within 2 to 3 months of staying on it. The most commonly reported side effects are irregular menstruation, spotting or bleeding between cycles, nausea, and headaches. It can also lead to weight gain and loss of sex drive. While most women note that the side effects decrease after continued use, many others experience side effects that can be prolonged and particularly difficult to manage. In these instances, many women opt for an alternative birth control method.

YourChoice’s approach of “crippling” the sperm cells and rendering them inactive will exclude the use of hormones altogether and avoid such side effects.

Scientists Nadja Mannowetz and Dr Polina Lishko (from the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at UC Berkeley) along with CEO Akash Bakshi founded YourChoice Therapeutics. They aim to release a working contraceptive pill by 2025.