Birth Control on the Horizon: 2016 Edition
We love toroll outthe red carpetwhen a new methodof birth controlbecomes available. Weve also been known to get excited about birth control innovations that are still in the works. Heres what we see on the horizon from where we’re standing in 2016.
Rings that work for a year
Right now theres only oneringon the marketthe NuvaRingand it needs to be replaced every month. But two new vaginal rings in development could change that. Both are designed to work for awhole year by storing a larger amount of hormone and releasing it slowly. (Were betting that since the rings carry more hormones, theyre thicker than the NuvaRing.) The companies developing the rings have been pretty hush-hush, but we can give you a few details.
A progestin-only vaginal ring.The maker of the Yasmin pill and the Mirena IUD, Bayer, is working on a one-yearvaginal ring that releases the hormone levonorgestrel. Levonorgestrel (LNG) is one of the oldest, safest, and best-studied hormones out there. The new ring releases about 40 micrograms of LNG per day, which is less than one-tenth of the daily dose in a progestin-only pill. It looks like the study is testing how effective this ring is when its kept in place continuously.
An extended version of the NuvaRing.The same company that makes the NuvaRing, Merck, is working on a one-yearvaginal ring that releases two hormones, estrogen and a progestin called etonogestrel. These are the same hormones found in NuvaRing, just released over the course of a year instead of a month. Merck is testing keeping the ring in for 3 weeks, taking it out for a week, then putting it in again. It might be that women who prefer to skip periods could use this ring continuously, but theyre not testing that in this study.
A new minipill
There are only a few types of progestin-only pills (commonly known as minipills) available in the U.S., and all contain a progestin called norethindrone. Now a French company, Leon Pharma, is testinga progestin-only pill with drospirenone. Thats the same hormone found in the combined hormonal pills YAZ and Yasmin. Like other progestin-only pills, this one is designed to be used for 24 days followed by a 4-day break. Researchers dida similar study in Europe, and found that over 80% of women were satisfied with this minipill.
If youre thinking I want this method now!
If any of these methods make your heart flutter, you may qualify to participate in the studies about them.This online serviceprovides information about all kinds of clinical trialsincluding birth control trialsand connects you to any studies in your area. Another source of information is ClinicalTrials.gov, which tells you right up top whether studies are looking for new participants.
A lower-dose patch
A company called Agile is working on anew contraceptive patchcalled Twirla. Like the only patch currently on the market, Xulane, a single Twirla patch is designed to last one week. You use three patches, then take a week off. Heres how Twirla and Xulane are different:
Both patches release two hormones, estrogen and progestin, but they use different kinds of progestin. Xulane releases the progestin norelgestromin, while Twirla releases levonorgestrel.
Twirla releases about half the amount of estrogen Xulane does (30 versus 56 micrograms per day).
Twirla has a different adhesive from Xulane, designed to prevent the skin around the patch from feeling sticky.
A new spermicide
The only spermicides currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contain nonoxynol-9, but that may change soon. A womens health company called Evofem has a new spermicide based on lactic and citric acids, called Amphora. They tested itseffectiveness as a method of birth control, and found that it was about the same as other spermicides. Now theFDA is reviewing the evidence, and could approve it for sale in the U.S. any day. Next up, Evofem is testing Amphora as atreatment for recurrent bacterial vaginosis.
Further down the road…
All the methods above are in whats calledphase 3 clinical trialsthats a large study that tracks safety and effectiveness of a new birth control method for at least a year. There are also methods that are in earlier stages of development, in phase 1 or 2 studies. It may be years before these methods are actually available, but we can dream about them in the meantime:
A new non-hormonal IUDcalled Veraceptis made out of the same stuff asthe intrauterine ball(copper beads on a memory metal frame), but it has a different shape. Although the ballturned out to be a bust, Veracept hasgood results so far.
A new hormonal IUDdesigned for teensis being tested in Europe. Although studies show that teens can safely use any of the IUDs now available in the U.S., this one is smaller and designed to last for less time than even aSkyla. Theres no word yet on when this might come to the U.S.
Yet another vaginal ringis in development, this one releasing estrogen and the progestin nesterone.
Various doses of the drug in theemergency contraceptive ella, ulipristal acetate,are being testedasa daily pill.
A new spermicidecalled Contragel is based on lactic acid. Theres a small study testing thesafety of Contragel used in combination with the Caya diaphragm. FYI, Contragel andCayagelare the same thing, just packaged differently.
A hormonal contraceptive gel for menthat is applied to the skin like lotion. The geldelivers the progestin nesterone and testosterone.
Our red carpet is ready if and when these methods make it to marketand well keep you posted on other new developments in the meantime.
Originally published on Bedsider.org
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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