Dr Rohit Katial: NZ Clinical Research physician on the new research being done into male birth control

Progress is being made on a world-leading male contraceptive.

The next stage of tests run by New Zealand Clinical Research will give participants multiple doses to see if the oral pill is safe for daily use.  

Phase one demonstrated it was tolerable after a single dose. 

Lead research physician, doctor Rohit Katial, says they'll also learn how long effects last.

"Even though you might stop taking the drug, it might take a bit longer for the sperm levels to come back up, so all of that will be monitored." 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now are company trialing a male contraceptive pill here in
New Zealand is looking for candidates. So they want men
age between twenty eight and seventy who do not want
to have kids in the future, and they are prepared
to pay twelve thousand dollars. The company leading the trial
is New Zealand Clinical Research and the lead research physician
is doctor rohit.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Cartil Hi Roe hit Hi Heather, how are you.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
I'm very well, thank you. So what is it that
you want the participants to do?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
So the study is quite interesting, but basically as part
of the trial they will have in patients to stay
with us, which lasts about seven nights, and then after
that they have follow up visits for up to a year.
And as part of those follow up visits we will
be collecting some scene examples as well.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Why do they have to stay with you for seven nights?

Speaker 3 (00:46):
So that's just for monitoring. So at the basically it
takes a while for the drug to get to the
sort of peak concentration levels, and while it's getting up
to that amount, we want to monitor them and make
sure that there's no unexpected side effect.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Okay, and so is this like a women's contraceptive where
you take a pill every night.

Speaker 3 (01:05):
So though that's what we're aiming to get to, obviously
it's still very early phase. So ideally it would be
a pill that's taken month's day, maybe twice a day.
So yeah, essentially that's what we're trying to get to.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
And then then how long does it last for the effects?
Is it twelve hours?

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Then?

Speaker 3 (01:23):
So it's hard it's because we're in the early stage.
Is still it's hard to know exactly because the way
men's sperm cycles work and things that's a bit different.
So even though you might stop taking the drug, it
might take a bit longer for the sperm levels to
come back up. So all of that will be monitored
as part of the trial to see how long the
effects last and things like that.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
And then I'm assuming that the test that you're asking
them to do is essentially, once they're released, go out
and you know, get with each other and see if
someone falls pregnant.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
So basically the thing that we're using at the moment
is the of mail and fertility in term of sperm
counts and things like that. So if we can get
people down to those sort of sperm counts, they should
theoretically be infertile until the sperm counts come back.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Okay, so the test, Yeah yeah, so the test does
not go out and get with a lady and see
what happens. It is actually that you look at the
sperm you counted and you say, at this level, you
should not be able to have a child.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
Okay, So what is it exactly that you are testing
this time around? Because you already know, I mean, you're
you're already reasonably confident, aren't you that the thing is safe?
So it's not a safety test.

Speaker 3 (02:35):
So I guess the first study looked at safety testing
when participants got a single dose of the drug, But
obviously with a contraceptive, we're going to have to give
it sort of life long or however long the participants
or patients want to be on it. So this is
now testing multiple dosings, so when we're dosing it, you know,
day after day after day, to see what the safety
is like based on that.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Okay, and any already any concerns about side effect?

Speaker 3 (03:00):
So no, no, nothing significant so far. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Okay, Now do you think if this thing goes to market,
do you think women will trust it?

Speaker 2 (03:17):
I'm not sure because this isn't this a fundamental problem
with the male contraceptive, which is the reason that women
take the female contraceptive is because we're going to be
the ones left carrying the can if something goes wrong.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
So we are ensuring that we don't feel pregnant. But
now we're having to trust you dudes to tell us
nana's are good.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
I took the pill.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
What do you think?

Speaker 3 (03:39):
I guess I guess the benefit here would be more
for the I guess the male and the relationship today
know that they be are taking their contraceptive if they
don't want to fall pregnant. I think women would probably
still continue to use their contraceptives as well.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
Okay, I see, Okay, so this is so what we're
doing is we're saying you are you've basically got to
be responsible for yourself here, and we're giving men the
option to be responsible for themselves.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, and I guess I guess it's still very very
early stages. So well yes, yeah, well know once it
works that row it.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
I mean, you must have women in your life, do
you reckon? Women in your life are going to trust
men to you know, do the right thing and take
it diligently every twelve hours.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, I guess like from my point of view, I would.
If I was a woman, I would still take my
own contraception, And if I was the nail, I would
take my own contraception too, if you get what I mean. Like,
if I was the now in the relationship and I
had an option, I would keep taking my contraceptive to
protect myself.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
Very good advice, rowe it. Thanks very much, doctor Rohod Cartile,
New Zealand Clinical Research lead research physician. For more from
Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to news talks it'd
be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on
iHeartRadio