Funding the Next Contraception Revolution

Male Contraceptive Initiative’s mission is, “to empower men, and couples, to fully contribute to family planning goals by providing them the resources they need for reproductive autonomy.” It is how we articulate our most hopeful vision of the future: one where there is reproductive autonomy for all people. This vision and associated mission directs our daily activities, which encompass financial support to the male contraception research community and advocating for the development of additional male contraceptives.

Our research support is focused on advancing promising targets through the drug development process. MCI’s funding ethos, which shapes our strategy and decision-making process is shaped by several of our organization’s core principles:

• Invest in innovation - Our focus on non-hormonal, reversible methods of male contraception is at least partly driven by the lack of attention and funding this segment of the contraceptive method mix receives. Despite decades of research and development, there are no new methods beyond condoms and vasectomy. We invest in the research and development of products that will redefine and reimagine contraception.
• Invest in people - We believe in supporting the professional and personal development of individuals diligently working to advocate for or develop novel methods of male contraceptives. By nurturing this community’s growth, we help to foster and grow the future champions of male contraception as we evolve towards reproductive autonomy for everyone.
• Go far together - We believe and invest in collaboration. The challenges and limitations inherent to male contraception research, development, and advocacy require a unique, nimble approach that values collective learning and achievement over personal accomplishment. This collaborative spirit extends to the effects we hope to see on future male contraceptive users: we believe that adding male methods to the contraceptive method mix will empower individuals and couples to share family planning responsibility and choose what’s best for their intentions at each stage of their reproductive journey.
• Ensure affordable accessibility - New methods of non-hormonal, reversible male contraception will benefit everyone. It is therefore critically important that they are designed and developed for a global market. MCI is mindful of this and works with our grantees and the male contraceptive research community to ensure that market considerations such as distribution and cost are taken into account throughout the development process.

These core principles guide us to provide funding support that facilitates professional development for young investigators, de-risks early stage yet promising contraceptive targets, helps promising products navigate the pitfalls of traditional product development, and ensures equitable access to products irrespective of where they are needed and used. Together, these efforts keep talent in the field, foster new ideas, and help programs avoid the “valley of death” that affects many promising drugs.

​Our multi-pronged approach to supporting the field of male contraception is designed for positive impact across all areas of developing and advocating for new male contraceptives:

• Our program related investments are innovative funding opportunities that help researchers get promising leads into, and through, clinical trials. These afford us the opportunity to further positively impact the research community by reinvesting future returns in other research efforts, allowing us to continue driving the field of non-hormonal male contraception forward.
• Discovery & Development grants allow active contraceptive development programs to navigate the hurdles necessary to prove efficacy and safety prior to pre-clinical activities, as well as move into clinical trials.
• We support professional development through our internships, fellowships, and travel grants in order to best equip young researchers with the tools and connections they need to be successful. By ensuring that the talented individuals drawn to this work have the support to continue with male contraception as a career, we foster the researchers and champions of the future.
• Our other funding efforts look for opportunity in the field that can bring safe, effective, and reversible male contraceptives to market faster. We’re always on the lookout for an interesting idea, partnership, or opportunity.

In an editorial for the New England Journal of Medicine, Deborah Anderson, Ph.D., stated, “the time seems ripe for another contraception revolution to provide options for the diverse populations that are not currently being served by modern contraception.” We believe that our funding strategy allows us to play a prominent role in catalyzing the next contraception revolution, bringing products that allow us to achieve our vision of Reproductive Autonomy for All.

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Learn more about our funding efforts on this page, or reach out to us with any questions.