Oral Male Contraceptive - Dimethandrolone Undecanoate

Michael Scally MD

Doctor of Medicine
10+ Year Member
Surampudi P, Page ST, Swerdloff RS, et al. Single, escalating dose pharmacokinetics, safety and food effects of a new oral androgen dimethandrolone undecanoate in man: a prototype oral male hormonal contraceptive. Andrology. Single, escalating dose pharmacokinetics, safety and food effects of a new oral androgen dimethandrolone undecanoate in man: a prototype oral male hormonal contraceptive - Surampudi - 2014 - Andrology - Wiley Online Library

The novel androgen, dimethandrolone (DMA) has both androgenic and progestational activities, properties that may maximize gonadotropin suppression.

We assessed the pharmacokinetics of dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU), an orally bioavailable, longer acting ester of DMA, for male contraceptive development. Our objective was to examine the safety and pharmacokinetics of single, escalating doses of DMAU (powder in capsule formulation) administered orally with or without food in healthy men.

We conducted a randomized, double-blind Phase 1 study. For each dose of DMAU (25–800 mg), 10 male volunteers received DMAU and two received placebo at two academic medical centres. DMAU was administered both fasting and after a high-fat meal (200–800 mg doses). Serial serum samples were collected over 24 h following each dose.

DMAU was well tolerated without significant effects on vital signs, safety laboratory tests or electrocardiograms. When administered while fasting, serum DMA (active compound) was detectable in only 4/10 participants after the 800 mg dose. When administered with a 50% fat meal, serum DMA was detectable in all participants given 200 mg DMAU and showed a dose-incremental increase up to 800 mg, with peak levels 4–8 h after taking the dose.

Serum gonadotropins and sex hormone concentrations were significantly suppressed 12 h after DMAU administration with food at doses above 200 mg.

This first-in-man study demonstrated that a single, oral dose of DMAU up to 800 mg is safe. A high-fat meal markedly improved DMAU/DMA pharmacokinetics.
 
Comparison of The Single Dose Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety of Two Novel Oral Formulations of Dimethandrolone Undecanoate (DMAU)

Dimethandrolone (DMA, 7alpha,11beta-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone) has both androgenic and progestational activities, ideal properties for a male hormonal contraceptive. In vivo, dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU) is hydrolyzed to DMA. We showed previously that single oral doses of DMAU powder in capsule taken with food are well tolerated and effective at suppressing both LH and testosterone (T), but absorption was low.

We compared the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of two new formulations of DMAU, in castor oil and in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS), with the previously tested powder formulation. DMAU was dosed orally in healthy adult male volunteers at two academic medical centers. For each formulation tested in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 10 men received single, escalating, oral doses of DMAU (100, 200, and 400 mg) and two subjects received placebo. All doses were evaluated for both fasting and with a high fat meal.

All three formulations were well tolerated without clinically significant changes in vital signs, blood counts, or serum chemistries. For all formulations, DMA and DMAU showed higher maximum (p < 0.007) and average concentrations (p < 0.002) at the 400 mg dose, compared with the 200 mg dose. The powder formulation resulted in a lower conversion of DMAU to DMA (p = 0.027) compared with both castor oil and SEDDS formulations. DMAU in SEDDS given fasting resulted in higher serum DMA and DMAU concentrations compared to the other two formulations.

Serum LH and sex hormone concentrations were suppressed by all formulations of 200 and 400 mg DMAU when administered with food, but only the SEDDS formulation was effectively suppressed serum T when given fasting.

We conclude that while all three formulations of oral DMAU are effective and well tolerated when administered with food, DMAU in oil and SEDDS increased conversion to DMA, and SEDDS may have some effectiveness when given fasting. These properties might be advantageous for the application of DMAU as a male contraceptive.

Ayoub R, Page ST, Swerdloff RS, et al. Comparison of the single dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of two novel oral formulations of dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU): a potential oral, male contraceptive. Andrology 2017;5:278-85. Comparison of the single dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of two novel oral formulations of dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU): a potential oral, male contraceptive
 
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