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The long-acting, nonhormonal contraceptive - for men.
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September 4, 2014
Vasalgel preclinical studies making great progress!
The last few months have been incredibly active preparing for the next phases of the baboon preclinical studies. The short version: We think we're back on track, and we could use your help! 

Three baboon subjects from the original study have now had Vasalgel for 6 months. (Want to know why we had to do a second round? Read all about it here.) To make sure that it is still working prior to reversal, we decided to give all of the males an opportunity to mate with females to ensure that no pregnancies occur. Each of the three male baboons was moved into enclosures with 10-15 females (yes, that's 10-15 each!) a month ago. And the good news? So far no pregnancies. But they will remain with the females for at least a few more weeks just to be sure. We are planning to flush out the Vasalgel - to attempt to reverse it, like was done in the rabbit study - early next month. Then we will check to see whether sperm start to flow once again. 

The newer baboon study has also just started. After a health check, five males got Vasalgel last week. Three more are planned. The baboons will rest for a bit while we monitor them closely, then will be moved to breeding enclosures with fertile females. Half of the baboons will be able to mate with females for three months, and half of them will be with females for six months. After this, they will all undergo reversal and additional testing. 

By the time the year ends, we will have a lot more information on the efficacy of Vasalgel - and, if all goes well, will be planning for clinical trials with humans to start next year.Link
How do we know the females are pregnant?
Many female primates get a swollen ano-genital region once a month when they are in estrus - sending a strong visual signal to males that they are ready for mating. But baboons have a really convenient characteristic - the female's rump turns a purplish color within about a week when she is pregnant! No need for hormone tests or ultrasound. This is beneficial for all concerned - less handling for the baboons, and less expense too! Nature does the job.
Left: Female baboon in estrus. Photo courtesy Nature.com. Right: Pregnant female baboon. Photo courtesy michael-lawrence-wilson.com.
The Packard Foundation provides boost to funding for the new baboon study
We are thrilled to report that the David and Lucile Packard Foundation just approved a very generous grant of $50,000 to Parsemus Foundation to support the new baboon study. The support from the Packard Foundation not only helps to fund this critical study, but their interest and confidence in this novel approach to male contraception propels Vasalgel forward in the eyes of other funders. 

Your past support of Vasalgel was critical to our ability to secure this grant. Packard Foundation's Population and Reproductive Health Program staff clearly "gets" the public involvement in this project - and the thousands of people who support more options for male reproduction. The foundation is the first to say men deserve a long-term, highly effective method too - and put its money where its mouth is. Want to send your thanks to the Packard Foundation for supporting male contraceptive research and tell them what Vasalgel would mean to you? You can email them at inquiries@packard.org.

Help finish out the matching grant!

The boost in funding from the Packard Foundation comes none too soon - since the bills from this new study will start showing up in our mailbox this month. With a total project budget of $77,000, we will still need $27,000 to cover expenses. We still have a few thousand dollars left of matching from our very generous anonymous donor -- so if you donate today, your contribution will be matched. And we still have 302 cool baboon stickers left for supporters over $20, so get your proof of being in at the beginning while you can! 

 

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Help us complete these pivotal steps. We're working diligently and are thankful for your support!

Sincerely,
The Vasalgel™ team


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