Safe birth control pill for men in the offing

Researchers have managed to isolate and manufacture an enzyme that is found exclusively in the testes.

Update: 2016-04-13 20:45 GMT
Birth control pills for men (Representational image)

Washington: Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have discovered a way to produce a key enzyme found only in sperm, an advance that may help develop a birth control drug for men that is free of side-effects.

“The milestone reached is the production and isolation of a full-length, active kinase enzyme in sufficient quantities to conduct drug screens,” said cell biologist John C. Herr of the University of Virginia.

“Isolation of an active, full-length form of this enzyme allows us to test drugs that bind to the entire surface of the enzyme so that we can identify inhibitors that may exert a selective action on sperm,” said Herr.

Researchers have managed to isolate and manufacture an enzyme that is found exclusively in the testes. The enzyme is found only in spermatids, cells which give rise to sperm.  

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