Male Contraceptive Initiative Invests in Eppin Pharma to Support Clinical Trials for a Non-Hormonal Male Contraceptive

DURHAM, N.C., January 19, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Male Contraceptive Initiative (MCI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has partnered with the pharmaceutical company Eppin Pharma to provide a Program Related Investment (PRI) of up to $800,000 to support clinical trial activities for the company's novel short-term, non-hormonal oral male contraceptive pill.

This is the latest PRI from Male Contraceptive Initiative and represents the organization's continued evolution as it seeks to expand its support of the male contraception research and development community. "We are very excited about adding additional program related investments to our portfolio as a means of accelerating male contraceptive product development through a collaborative, 'team science' approach. Returns on these investments will go directly back into supporting research efforts to continue driving the field of non-hormonal male contraception forward," said MCI Executive Director Heather Vahdat. "Eppin Pharma is a particularly exciting investment opportunity as they have been integral at advancing the non-hormonal male contraceptive field in an effort to revolutionize family planning by providing reproductive equity to men who still have to rely on only two methods of birth control: condoms and vasectomy," Ms. Vahdat added.

Eppin Pharma's lead male contraceptive candidate is a small organic compound that binds to EPPIN, a protein on the surface of human sperm, resulting in the loss of the sperm's ability to properly function. The non-hormonal treatment Eppin Pharma is developing is intended to be fast-acting and does not affect the production of sperm. 

MCI's investment in Eppin Pharma will be used to establish proof-of-concept of safety and feasibility of their contraceptive method as they prepare for human clinical trials. This is an important first step prior to conducting a larger efficacy study required for gaining regulatory approval and widespread consumer access to the therapeutic. 

"We have been excited about Eppin's work since 2019, when we provided them with an initial grant to advance their work. Given the success of their science to date, we are pleased to expand our collaboration as Eppin Pharma represents the forefront of pharmacologic, non-hormonal male contraceptive methods," said MCI Research Director Dr. Logan Nickels. 

"We are grateful to MCI for their dedication to supporting innovation in male contraception and for recognizing the transformative potential of our work," said Dr. Michael O'Rand, Eppin Pharma's President & Chief Executive Officer. "At Eppin Pharma, we are dedicated to developing new options for men who desire to take control of their fertility and we look forward to advancing our method to clinical trials in the near future," added Dr. O'Rand.

With over $10 million invested in product development, MCI seeks to advance male contraceptive research projects to market in order to achieve its organizational vision of "Reproductive Autonomy for All". MCI's mission is, "To empower men, and couples, to fully contribute to family planning goals by providing them the resources they need for reproductive autonomy."

Source: Male Contraceptive Initiative