An experimental male contraceptive pill could soon enable men to prevent pregnancy on demand as researchers are aiming for it to work within 30 minutes of being ingested and provide protection for at least six to eight hours. Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine in the United States have received a grant of $8.2 million from the National Institutes of Health to test the drug in a human trial for the first time. The investigational pill is designed to temporarily stop the sperm in its tracks, rather than suppressing hormone production or formation of sperm. The drug’s effectiveness, safety and ability to maintain fertility health after each dose remain to be investigated.More About The Experimental Male Contraceptive Pill Researchers Dr Jochen Buck and Dr Lonny Levin, professors of pharmacology at Weill Cornell, are developing a compound that blocks an enzyme called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC).This enzyme plays a crucial role in sperm motility, the ability of sperm to move. By inhibiting sAC, the drug is intended to temporarily immobilise sperm, preventing them from swimming enough to fertilise an egg.In 2023, the researchers reported in Nature Communications that blocking sAC rendered sperm immobile and prevented pregnancies in preclinical models. This drug differs from experimental hormonal male contraceptives, which generally aim to reduce sperm production and may require weeks to become effective.“We’ve developed an on-demand contraceptive pill that men would take 30 minutes before having sex,” Buck said in a statement from Weill Cornell Medicine. “The pill provides a six-to-eight-hour window of protection from pregnancy, and afterwards, fertility returns to normal.”These timings reflect the researchers’ intended profile for the drug. They have not yet been confirmed in people yet.Also read: 'Contraceptive Coil Saved My Life': UK Woman's Persistent Abdominal Pain Led Her To Ovarian Cancer DiagnosisHumans Trials Planned The four-year grant will fund the toxicology and safety studies that are needed before human testing. The grant will also cover the development of an oral formulation as well as the drug’s manufacturing processes.The next step is a Phase 1, placebo-controlled trial in which healthy men will participate. Researchers will monitor participants for side effects and examine sperm samples to measure changes in motility. They will also investigate whether the effect is temporary and sperm movement returns to normal after the drug’s effect wears off.“Contraception is unusual in that you’re giving a medicine to healthy people, often in their prime, so the requirements for efficacy and safety are particularly stringent,” said Dr Peter Meinke, an assistant professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell who has contributed to the drug's development.“You need a molecule that is fast-acting, potent, safe and which is active for hours in the male but also continues to prevent sperm from swimming inside the drug-free female,” he added.Also read: What Does A Morning-After Pill Do To Your Body?Could It Be A Breakthrough In Male Contraception? Male contraceptive options that are currently available include just condoms and vasectomy. Other experimental methods include hormonal pills, gels and long-acting treatments. Many require regular use and can take weeks to affect fertility.An on-demand pill could offer an instant method for preventing unwanted pregnancy by allowing men to use the drug around the time they have sex, provided the future trials prove it is safe and effective.“I hope someday family planning becomes a shared responsibility where men or couples can go to the local pharmacy to get male contraceptives,” Levin said. “This gives couples another option to discuss what is best for them.”