University of Dundee receive funding boost into the research of a male contraceptive
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded more £1.2m to develop a new drug
Last updated 3rd Aug 2021
Over the next two years, experts at the University of Dundee hope to develop the first safe and effective male contraceptive drug.
The research project was awarded £1.2m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Chris Barratt, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University told Tay FM,
“There is a substantial challenge in contraceptive choice globally, most of the burden falls on the woman so the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation have set up this initiative on contraception and part of that is for the male so we hope to address that inequality.”
“We have a world class drug discovery unit, that's proven to develop compounds for major health issues and at the same time we have expertise in male reproductive health. Dundee is unique as it has those two things.
“The work’s exciting but it is very difficult and stopping one thousand sperms in a heart-beat is not simple, it’s a very challenging task but I think we are confident that we can make quite considerable progress.”
Previous studies have been halted due to a discovery of side effects, however this study takes a different approach in stopping the fertility of the sperm rather than the production itself.
Professor Barratt is keen to see the future progress of the male contraceptive drug using the funding.