Science Biotech, in partnership with researchers Erick J. R. Silva (UNESP Botucatu, Brazil), Margarida Fardilha (University of Aveiro, Portugal) and Antoniel A. S. Gomes (Université de Lorraine, France), is initiating a project aimed at developing a new non hormonal male contraceptive.

Universal access to reproductive health products and services for both women and men, including contraception, is part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goals 3 and 5. Despite the variety of contraceptive methods available, most of them for women, nearly 100 million unplanned pregnancies (about 50 percent of all pregnancies) occur each year. Men currently have limited access to reliable contraceptive options, with only condoms and vasectomy commercially available. The absence of a male contraceptive pill increases the burden placed on women in family planning and exposes them to potential adverse effects from contraceptive medications, contributing to gender inequality. Developing new male contraceptive options could help improve this scenario and represent an important step toward comprehensive reproductive health and shared family planning.

An ideal male contraceptive drug should inhibit fertility quickly, reversibly and safely by interfering with essential reproductive processes such as spermatogenesis and sperm motility. Over recent decades, several pharmacological strategies aligned with this profile have been identified. The most explored approaches rely on hormonal methods using testosterone and progesterone analogs. However, these strategies present limitations, including delayed onset of action, variable effectiveness and adverse effects. In this context, non hormonal pharmacological targets have emerged as promising alternatives for the development of a male contraceptive pill.

The collaboration between Science Biotech and scientists specializing in Reproductive Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology from UNESP Botucatu, the University of Aveiro in Portugal and the University of Lorraine in France represents a significant step toward expanding the field of contraceptive therapeutics and advancing knowledge of male reproductive biology. The initiative is supported by the CNPq Innovation Graduate Fellowship Program (MAI/DAI). This project is a radical innovation focused on synthesizing a new molecule (New Chemical Entity) with an unprecedented mechanism of action, reinforcing the innovative vision of Science Biotech. The project is already underway with promising preliminary results that will soon be published and used in the preparation of a patent application.

Market projections indicate that a product of this nature, categorized as a radical innovation, may reach a global value of more than 31 billion USD. Based on the progress of the project, the first patent application is expected to be submitted at the end of the first semester.