When will the male pill hit the market? These are some of the contraceptives under investigation.

The female pill was developed in the early 1960s and has since become one of the most widely used contraceptives in the world. However, 65 years later, we still don't have a male equivalent.

In fact, currently, in most parts of the world, there are only two male contraceptive methods available and used relatively significantly by men: the condom and vasectomy. The former, although still the safest option when it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), is a barrier method that encounters some rejection, especially within monogamous relationships. The latter is a surgical procedure, which requires a repeat visit to the operating room to reverse the decision.

This is despite the fact that, paradoxically, the first clinical trials on possible pharmacological contraceptive methods for men began in the 1970s. However, they were discontinued for various reasons (including the belief that women would tolerate the associated side effects better) and have only been resumed in recent decades.

Currently, there are several options in advanced stages of development that are yielding good results, so in the coming years we could finally see the arrival of a male pharmacological contraceptive method on the market.

A (non-hormonal) candidate for the male pill

There seems to have been a shift in men's preferences regarding contraceptive methods in recent years. The latest global survey on the topic, a study conducted on a sample of more than 12,000 men published last year in the specialized journal Andrology , found that up to 60% of men would consider using new contraceptives.

A Phase 2 clinical trial is currently underway for YourChoice Therapeutics' YCT-529 male contraceptive drug . The drug blocks the retinoic acid pathway, which is essential for sperm maturation. Preclinical data have shown it to be effective in inducing infertility in animal models within the first four weeks of treatment, with no adverse effects reported so far.

A hormonal gel

Another of the most recent trials is the one testing the NES/T hormone gel , developed by the Population Council and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

In this case, the treatment consists of a gel applied daily and absorbed through the skin of the shoulders and upper arms. It contains testosterone and nestorone , synthetic progesterone analogs that suppress sperm production. Evidence gathered so far shows that it reduces sperm concentration in up to 88.5% of men, with minimal adverse effects.

However, there have been documented cases in which it causes acne, hair loss, weight gain, and increased libido, which could hinder the later stages of development.

A drug that is administered before each relationship

Finally, there is a line of research that seeks to find solutions that could be used before each sexual encounter , rather than being taken daily.

In this regard, the compound TDI-11816 has shown promise . As its developers published in 2023 in the academic journal Nature Communications , it inhibits an enzyme essential for sperm motility by deactivating soluble adenylate cyclase.

For now, it has shown 99% efficacy in mice. However, it still needs to be tested in human clinical trials , so its eventual approval and market launch are still a distant prospect.

References

Japneet Kaur, Dhananjay Vaidyanathan Rohini, LinChiat Chang, Allie Gugliotti, Steve Kretschmer. Assessment of demand for male contraceptives: A multi-country study. Andrology (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13726

Mannowetz, N., Chung, S.S.W., Maitra, S. et al. Targeting the retinoid signaling pathway with YCT-529 for effective and reversible oral contraception in mice and primates. Communication Medicine (2025). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00752-7

ClinicalTrials.gov. Open Label, Repeat Dose Study Evaluating YCT-529 in Healthy Males. Accessed online at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06542237?intr=YCT-529&rank=2 on October 21, 2025.

ClinicalTrials.gov. Study of Daily Application of Nestorone® (NES) and Testosterone (T) Combination Gel for Male Contraception. Accessed online at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06542237?intr=YCT-529&rank=2 on October 21, 2025.

Niloufar Ilani, Mara Y. Roth, John K. Amory, Ronald S. Swerdloff, Clint Dart, Stephanie T. Page, William J. Bremner, Regine Sitruk-Ware, Narender Kumar, Diana L. Blithe et al. A New Combination of Testosterone and Nestorone Transdermal Gels for Male Hormonal Contraception. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2012) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2012-1384

Balbach, M., Rossetti, T., Ferreira, J. et al. On-demand male contraception via acute inhibition of soluble adenylyl cyclase. Nature Communications (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36119-6

Do you want to receive the best content to take care of your health and feel good? Sign up for our free newsletter.