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Science 12 November 2004:
Vol. 306. no. 5699, pp. 1189 - 1190
DOI: 10.1126/science.1099743
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Reports

Reversible Immunocontraception in Male Monkeys Immunized with Eppin

M. G. O'Rand,1,2* E. E. Widgren,1,2 P. Sivashanmugam,1,2{dagger} R. T. Richardson,1,2 S. H. Hall,1,3 F. S. French,1,3 C. A. VandeVoort,4 S. G. Ramachandra,5 V. Ramesh,5 A. Jagannadha Rao5

Various forms of birth control have been developed for women; however, there are currently few options for men. The development of male contraceptives that are effective, safe, and reversible is desired for family planning throughout the world. We now report contraception of male nonhuman primates (Macaca radiata) immunized with Eppin, a testis/epididymis-specific protein. Seven out of nine males (78%) developed high titers to Eppin, and all of these high-titer monkeys were infertile. Five out of seven (71%) high–anti-Eppin titer males recovered fertility when immunization was stopped. This study demonstrates that effective and reversible male immunocontraception is an attainable goal. This method of immunocontraception may be extended to humans.

1 Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
2 Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
3 Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
4 California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
5 Department of Biochemistry, Primate Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.


{dagger} Present address: Department of Urology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: morand{at}unc.edu

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)