Developing the “male IUD” with Kevin Eisenfrats from Contraline

07 May 2024 (9 months ago)

Introduction (0s)

The first vasectomy was performed in 1897.
Every innovation in birth control since then has been created for women to use.
Female-focused birth control encouraged women's independence and career success.
It placed the responsibility of family planning solely on women.
Clinical trials are now focusing on creating long-lasting solutions for male birth control, sometimes referred to as the "male IUD".
Contraline is a biotech company developing a long-lasting, reversible male birth control solution.
Their lead product, Adam, is a hydrogel implanted into the vas deferens to block sperm.
Adam aims to be the first long-lasting, non-hormonal, and easily reversible male contraceptive, similar to the IUD for women.
Male birth control options are limited compared to female options.
Many men are interested in male birth control, as evidenced by over 1500 men expressing interest in the first clinical trial for Adam.
Harsher abortion laws in the US have not lowered interest in birth control.

Kevin Eisenfrats, founder of Contraline, was inspired to develop a male birth control method after watching the MTV show "16 and Pregnant."
He realized that if there was a better alternative to condoms, it could reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.
Eisenfrats has been researching and working on male contraception for over 10 years.
The science behind male contraception is complex due to the large number of sperm produced compared to the single egg in female contraception.
Pharmaceutical companies did not see male birth control as a significant market opportunity compared to female birth control.
In recent years, there has been a shift in societal attitudes with women seeking alternatives to hormonal birth control and men expressing a desire for more control over their fertility.

ContraLines research focuses on developing a product called Adam.
Adam is a gel or biomaterial inserted into the vas deferens during a vasectomy.
Hydrogels are water-soluble polymers that are biocompatible and have been FDA-approved for other applications.
ContraLines' hydrogel can last for years but is still reversible.
The gel can be removed in a minimally invasive procedure that restores fertility.
The procedure is performed in an office setting, mostly by urologists.
It is similar to a vasectomy and takes about 30 minutes.
The gel is injected into the vas deferens through a small incision.
The procedure is minimally invasive and does not require general anesthesia.
Patients can return to normal activities within a few days.

Contraline, a company developing a male birth control method called Adam, has completed a first-in-human trial in Australia with 25 patients.
Adam is a hydrogel injected into the vas deferens to prevent sperm from passing through.
The company has raised about $20 million and filed 40 patents related to Adam.
Contraline recruited 1,500 men for the clinical trial through social media platforms, indicating significant interest among men in taking responsibility for birth control.

Contraline, led by Kevin Eisenfrats, is developing a male IUD targeting a younger demographic who have not yet had children.
The US market for male contraception is estimated to be worth $10-11 billion, with approximately 13-14 million potential users.
Contraline has attracted diverse investors, including Google Ventures, Founders Fund, and women's health funds, who are drawn to the company's vision of transforming society and reproductive rights.
The current political climate, with increased restrictions on women's health, has positively impacted Contraline as individuals seek alternative contraceptive options.

Kevin Eisenfrats, the founder of Contraline, shares his experience of pursuing an entrepreneurial career in medicine instead of becoming a doctor.
He believes that he can have a greater impact on society by creating new inventions in medicine through his company than he could as an individual doctor.
He emphasizes that he still works closely with doctors and is constantly involved in the medical field, but his approach is focused on creating new devices, procedures, and drugs.
Eisenfrats highlights the challenges of pursuing technically difficult endeavors, which often involve setbacks and failures.
He views these failures as learning opportunities and emphasizes the importance of persistence.
Fundraising is another challenge, as Contraline doesn't fit into a conventional category and requires educating potential investors about their mission.
Being the first to pitch venture capitalists on new male contraceptives presented additional challenges, as it was a relatively unexplored area at the time.
Regulatory hurdles are also anticipated, as Contraline's product is the first of its kind.

The FDA approval process for the male IUD involves extensive testing to ensure safety and efficacy.
Developing an implantable medical device costs between $75 million and $90 million.
Contraline, led by its CEO, has 17 employees, including biomedical engineers and polymer scientists.
The company values diversity of thought and hires people they enjoy working with.
Contraline focuses on developing a male contraceptive, medical device, and business operations.

Contraline, a hydrogel company specializing in innovative biomaterials, has been operating with a lean team of 17 full-time employees for almost 10 years.
The company prioritizes hiring high performers who thrive on challenging work and provides diverse responsibilities and opportunities for professional development, resulting in low employee turnover.
Contraline is currently working towards FDA approval for its male contraceptive product and exploring potential expansion into European markets through partnerships with established companies.
The company is also researching different formulations of its existing product, Adam, to create IUDs with varying durations of effectiveness and exploring other applications for its hydrogel technology, including non-hormonal female contraception.
Contraline aims to address significant unsolved reproductive health problems rather than developing one-off products in industries with existing solutions.

ContraLine, a company developing a male birth control method, has seen increased interest and demand for their product, with 9,000 men signing up for clinical trials.
Australia was chosen for the first clinical trial due to the higher rate of vasectomies performed there, indicating potential interest in male contraception.
ContraLine successfully raised $24 million in Series A funding from both traditional biotech and non-biotech investors, demonstrating broad appeal and confidence in their product's potential.
The company's founding story originated from watching the MTV show "16 and Pregnant," inspiring the development of a male contraceptive option.
ContraLine is currently working on a gel-like substance that can act as a male contraceptive.
The political landscape surrounding reproductive health adds complexity to the development and potential success of the male IUD.