YOURCHOICE THERAPEUTICS INC — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NICHD

Description

Consumer behavior throughout the world points to a high level of dissatisfaction with currently available contraceptive methodsAlmost a third of American women discontinue using hormonal methods of birth control within the first yearwhileof men discontinue using condoms within the same timelineConsumers are not satisfied with either the continual methodshormonalor the on demand optionsuch as condomsIt is well documented that conventional steroid based hormonal contraceptives are associated with powerful side effectsbecause of their pleiotropic mode of action on various cell typesHormones cross cellular membranes and are entrapped inside the cellswhere they alter gene expression and can have prolonged effects on a variety of physiological mechanismsincluding neuronal functionsThereforedespite being highly effectivethe numerous undesirable side effects associated with hormonal contraceptives often lead to discontinuation by women and leaves a huge segment of the consumer market underservedIn exploring new non hormonal methods targeting sperm functionscontraceptives can either target spermatogenesis or impair the later stages of sperm activationa preferable targetMature sperm cells have a distinct set of specific molecular targetswhich increases the possibility to develop a non hormonal contraceptive drug with high specificity and low side effectsSuch a compound will prevent fertilizationby disabling the sperm cells once they have entered the womenandapos s reproductive tractand could be developed as an on demandnonhormonal contraceptiveThis project will comprehensively evaluate the family of small molecules known as triterpenes for the development of on demand non hormonal female contraceptivesIn earlier published worksome of these compounds were shown to target sperm activation pathways that are vital for fertilityOur company YourChoice Therapeutics proposes to use in vitro assays to evaluate compounds that will inhibit sperm motility and activationOnce we identify the lead compoundwe will embed the drug into an innovative delivery systemto develop a nonhormonal on demand contraceptive that will be easy to deliverThis innovative technology will provide an alternative to the current global hormonal contraceptive market providing a new family planning method to overbillion women of reproductive age worldwide This project will comprehensively evaluate a family of small molecules known as triterpenes for the development of on demandnonhormonal contraceptives for womenThe compounds would target and inhibit sperm activation pathway that is vital for sperm fertilityand will impact sperm transport in womenandapos s reproductive tractthe principle based on the earlier published worksThe market for a reliablereversibleand nonhormonal contraceptives with limited side effects is significant and we propose to develop a new generation of on demand female contraceptives to take advantage of this opportunity