YCT-529 Explained: The Non-Hormonal Male Birth Control Pill
Published October 23, 2026 · Investigational · Not approved
YCT-529 is the candidate most people mean when they talk about "the male pill." It's an investigational daily oral drug from YourChoice Therapeutics. It's not approved anywhere, and the company itself states it does not claim the drug is safe or effective for any use [1].
How it's designed to work
YCT-529 blocks retinoic acid receptor-alpha (RAR-alpha), a receptor involved in sperm production. Unlike hormonal methods, it isn't designed to change testosterone. The company says that in preclinical studies, the effect on sperm production reversed after treatment stopped [1].
What the first human study found
The Phase 1a trial enrolled 16 healthy men who took single doses from 10 to 180 mg [2][3]. According to the paper published in Communications Medicine, single doses were well tolerated, with no reported effects on heart rate, hormone levels, inflammatory markers, sexual desire or mood [3]. A single-dose safety study is not designed to show whether a drug prevents pregnancy.
What's happening now
A Phase 1b/2a study is testing daily dosing for 28, 90 or 180 days in an estimated 88 men in New Zealand. It started in September 2024 and is listed as recruiting [4]. It looks at safety, how the body processes the drug, its effects on sperm, and sexual function and mood.
When could it be available?
It would still need larger trials, including Phase 3, and regulatory approval. No date can be given. Join our update list to hear about new results.