What YourChoice Therapeutics Means for Contraception Innovation

Nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide—121 million each year—are unintended. That's not a statistic about carelessness. It's a statistic about the limitations of available contraception, the uneven burden of responsibility, and decades of underinvestment in innovation.For women, the options are familiar: pills that require daily compliance, devices that require procedures, hormones that come with side effects many find intolerable. For men, the options are even more limited: condoms with a 13% typical-use failure rate, or vasectomy—a surgical procedure with uncertain reversibility.

YourChoice Therapeutics is building something different. The San Francisco-based biotech company is developing YCT-529, the first non-hormonal oral contraceptive for men—a daily pill designed to be safe, effective, and fully reversible. The company has already completed its first human safety trial and is now advancing through clinical development. If successful, YCT-529 wouldn't just add another option to the contraception market. It would fundamentally reshape the conversation about shared responsibility, reproductive autonomy, and what contraception innovation can look like.

What Is Contraception?

Contraception refers to any method, device, or medication used to prevent pregnancy. The goal is simple: give people control over if and when they have children. The reality is more complex.

Modern contraceptive methods range from barrier methods like condoms and diaphragms to hormonal options including pills, patches, injections, and implants. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants offer higher efficacy but require medical procedures. Permanent options—tubal ligation for women and vasectomy for men—are highly effective but difficult or impossible to reverse.

The common thread across nearly all of these options? The burden falls primarily on women. Eight in ten women of reproductive age use some form of contraception. They navigate side effects, manage daily compliance, undergo procedures, and make the trade-offs. Men's options have remained essentially unchanged for decades: condoms or surgery.

Contraception Innovation Has Lagged—Especially for Non-Hormonal Options

Most progress in contraception over the past fifty years has been incremental: new hormone formulations, improved delivery mechanisms, longer-acting devices. These advances matter, but they haven't fundamentally changed the landscape—or addressed the concerns that lead many women to discontinue contraception altogether.

A WHO study across 36 countries found that two-thirds of sexually active women who wished to delay or limit childbearing stopped using contraception due to fear of side effects, health concerns, or underestimation of conception risk. Among women who experienced an unintended pregnancy leading to abortion, half had discontinued their contraceptive method due to issues like side effects or inconvenience.

Why "more choice" matters: Real-world adherence depends on having options that fit real lives. About 40% of women in low- and middle-income countries who use contraception stop within the first year—many because they're dissatisfied with their method. When the only choices involve hormones, procedures, or daily compliance, many people opt out entirely. And when contraception fails, the consequences fall disproportionately on women.

Where non-hormonal innovation changes the playbook: For women who can't tolerate hormonal methods—whether due to health conditions, side effects, or personal preference—non-hormonal options have been limited to copper IUDs, barrier methods, or fertility awareness. A new generation of non-hormonal contraceptives, including options designed for men, could fundamentally expand who participates in pregnancy prevention and how.

What YourChoice Therapeutics Is Building in Non-Hormonal Contraception Innovation?

YourChoice Therapeutics is developing non-hormonal contraceptive solutions with a focus on expanding choice and enabling shared responsibility. The company's lead product, YCT-529, is designed to be the first hormone-free, oral, reversible contraceptive for men.

YourChoice was founded to address a fundamental gap in reproductive healthcare: the lack of effective, reversible contraceptive options for men that don't involve hormones or surgery. The company secured $15 million in Series A funding in 2022 and has received support from the National Institutes of Health and the Male Contraceptive Initiative.

Why this is bigger than a single product:

YCT-529 represents more than a new drug candidate. It signals a new era in contraception R&D—one where men have real pharmaceutical options beyond condoms. The development of a credible, non-hormonal male pill demonstrates that the technical barriers can be overcome. It opens the door for additional investment, additional mechanisms, and additional choices. After nearly half a century with no new non-hormonal male contraceptive development reaching human trials, YCT-529 changes what's possible.

The Non-Hormonal Male Birth Control Pill: Why YCT-529 Is a Category Shift

The idea of a male birth control pill has been discussed for decades. Clinical trials of hormonal approaches have shown high efficacy, but they've also revealed significant barriers: side effects like acne, weight gain, mood changes, and impacts on sexual function. These are the same concerns that lead many women to discontinue hormonal contraception—and they've contributed to the failure of previous male contraceptive development programs to reach market.

What a male pill would unlock:

For the first time, contraception could become genuinely shared. Couples could choose who takes responsibility based on preference, health considerations, or convenience rather than default. Family planning could involve both partners as active participants rather than placing the full burden on one person.

According to the 2024 KFF Women's Health Survey, nearly one in four women who aren't using their preferred contraceptive method say they would rely on a partner's vasectomy if they could—evidence of significant demand for male-controlled options. But vasectomy is surgical and intended to be permanent. A reversible male pill changes the equation entirely.

Why hormone-free matters:

YCT-529's non-hormonal mechanism means it doesn't interfere with testosterone levels or the hormonal pathways that affect mood, libido, and sexual function. In the company's Phase 1a clinical trial, participants who received YCT-529 showed no changes in sexual desire, sexual function, or mood compared to baseline—consistent with expectations for a non-hormonal approach. This profile could significantly improve tolerance, preference, and real-world adoption compared to hormonal alternatives.

How YCT-529 Works?

YCT-529 works by targeting a specific biological pathway required for sperm production—without affecting hormones.

High-level mechanism: The drug is a selective antagonist of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR-α), a nuclear receptor involved in vitamin A signaling. In the testes, vitamin A signaling through RAR-α is essential for spermatogenesis—the process by which sperm cells are produced. By blocking RAR-α, YCT-529 disrupts this process, reducing sperm production without affecting testosterone or other hormones.

The approach was developed in collaboration with Dr. Gunda Georg, a medicinal chemist at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, where the drug molecule was originally developed. The target was validated through genetic research showing that mice lacking RAR-α are sterile but otherwise healthy—indicating the pathway could be safely interrupted.

What "reversible" means in practice: This is the key word for consumers. In preclinical studies, fertility was fully restored after stopping the drug. Mice regained fertility within six weeks of discontinuation. Non-human primates fully recovered their sperm count within 10-15 weeks—consistent with the natural sperm production cycle, which takes approximately 12 weeks. The reversibility profile is critical: it means YCT-529 could offer the convenience of a daily pill without the permanence of surgical options.

What YourChoice Therapeutics Has Reported So Far?

YourChoice Therapeutics has published results from both preclinical studies and its first human clinical trial. These results are encouraging—but it's important to distinguish between what's been demonstrated and what still requires clinical validation.

Preclinical results (mice and primates):

In male mice, YCT-529 was 99% effective at preventing pregnancies within four weeks of use. In male non-human primates, the drug lowered sperm counts within two weeks of starting treatment. Both species fully regained fertility after stopping the drug, with no detected side effects. These results, published in Communications Medicine in March 2025, provided the foundation for advancing to human trials.

Phase 1a human trial results:

The Phase 1a trial, published in Communications Medicine in July 2025, enrolled 16 healthy male volunteers who had previously undergone vasectomy (an extra precaution for this first-in-human study). Participants received single oral doses ranging from 10 mg to 180 mg. The results: YCT-529 was well tolerated across all dose levels, with no adverse effects on heart rate, hormone levels, inflammatory markers, sexual desire, or mood. Food intake did not significantly affect drug absorption.

Why these signals are meaningful:

Safety and tolerability are foundational requirements for any contraceptive—especially one intended for daily use by healthy individuals. The Phase 1a results demonstrate that YCT-529 can be safely administered to humans at therapeutic dose levels. This is the first non-hormonal male contraceptive pill to reach this milestone.

Why clinical validation is the real milestone:

The Phase 1a trial was designed to assess safety, not efficacy. It did not measure whether YCT-529 reduces sperm counts in humans or prevents pregnancy. Those questions are being addressed in the ongoing Phase 1b/2a trial, which is evaluating the effects of repeated dosing over 28 and 90 days on sperm parameters. Until efficacy is demonstrated in humans, YCT-529 remains a promising candidate—not a proven contraceptive.

Clinical Progress: What It Means When a Contraception Product Enters Human Trials?

For investors and observers, understanding clinical trial phases is essential for calibrating expectations.

What Phase 1 is designed to prove:

Phase 1 trials focus on safety and tolerability. They answer fundamental questions: Is the drug safe for human use? What dose levels can be administered without adverse effects? How is the drug absorbed, distributed, and eliminated by the body? YCT-529's Phase 1a trial demonstrated that single doses up to 180 mg are well tolerated—clearing this critical first hurdle.

What comes next:

The ongoing Phase 1b/2a trial extends the evaluation to repeated dosing and begins assessing pharmacodynamic effects—specifically, whether YCT-529 reduces sperm counts in humans as it did in preclinical studies. Participants are receiving the drug for 28 and 90 days, with sperm parameters being monitored throughout.

If Phase 1b/2a results are positive, subsequent trials would evaluate efficacy in preventing pregnancy in larger populations, establish optimal dosing, and assess long-term safety. The path from Phase 1 to market approval typically takes years and requires demonstrating both safety and efficacy across multiple trials.

What investors watch:

Key milestones include positive sperm count reduction data from Phase 1b/2a, successful progression to larger efficacy trials, regulatory feedback, and partnership or licensing activity. Each milestone de-risks the program and increases the probability of reaching market.

Reproductive Autonomy Gets Stronger When Contraception Responsibility Is Shared

YCT-529 is designed for men—but its implications extend to everyone who cares about reproductive autonomy.

"Choice" isn't theoretical

Today, contraception choice often means choosing among options that all have significant trade-offs: daily compliance, hormonal side effects, procedures, or failure rates. When the burden falls primarily on one partner, that partner bears the physical, emotional, and logistical costs. More options—including options that shift some of that burden—reduce pressure and expand autonomy for everyone involved.

Why this is a women's health win

A credible male contraceptive option means women who can't tolerate hormonal methods, or who simply don't want to bear the full responsibility for pregnancy prevention, have an alternative. It means couples can make decisions based on who's best positioned to manage contraception at a given time—whether due to health, convenience, or preference. It means the default assumption that contraception is "women's responsibility" can finally be challenged at scale.

Reproductive autonomy isn't just about access to contraception—it's about having meaningful choices. It's about partnership in family planning. It's about reducing the unintended pregnancy rate that affects 121 million people annually worldwide. A male pill that actually works and is actually adopted would represent a fundamental shift in how societies approach reproductive responsibility.

Why This Matters for the Future of Contraception Innovation?

YCT-529's progress—regardless of ultimate success—signals that the contraception innovation landscape is changing.

• Market expansion: A credible male, non-hormonal contraceptive option wouldn't cannibalize existing women's health products. It would expand the entire contraception market conversation. It would bring a new category of consumers—men who currently have no pharmaceutical options—into the market. It would enable new go-to-market strategies, new distribution channels, and new conversations with payers and providers.
• What success would look like: Not hype, but real adoption. That means demonstrating safety in larger, longer-term trials. It means proving efficacy—showing that YCT-529 reliably prevents pregnancy in human couples. It means establishing reversibility with confidence, so users know fertility will return after discontinuation. And it means achieving adoption at scale, which requires not just regulatory approval but acceptance by consumers, providers, and partners.

The path is long. Clinical development for contraceptives is particularly rigorous because the products are used by healthy individuals to prevent a natural biological process. But the progress to date—first-in-class mechanism, successful preclinical results, Phase 1 safety data, and advancement to efficacy trials—positions YCT-529 as a genuine candidate to reach market.

Why Portfolia Invested in the Company?

YourChoice Therapeutics is named among the early investments in Portfolia's Women's Health Fund IV, alongside category-defining companies like Gameto.

• Fit with Portfolia's thesis: Portfolia invests in companies that expand choice and improve outcomes at scale. YourChoice Therapeutics fits this thesis precisely: it's building a product designed to give millions of people a contraceptive option they've never had before. Success would reduce unintended pregnancies, enable shared responsibility, and expand reproductive autonomy—outcomes that align directly with Portfolia's mission to enhance the health and wellness of women globally.
• Portfolia's advantage: As the most active investor in women's health globally, with over 100 investments across 46 companies, Portfolia brings experienced Fund Partners with deep expertise in biotech, life sciences, and healthcare investing. The Women's Health Fund IV team includes leaders with an average of 15+ years of investing experience and extensive networks across the industry. This expertise enables rigorous evaluation of clinical-stage companies like YourChoice—assessing not just the science, but the regulatory pathway, market opportunity, and execution capability.
• Diversified approach: Women's Health Fund IV invests across the full spectrum of women's health innovation—from fertility and maternal health to menopause, oncology, and conditions that affect women differently. YourChoice represents the fund's commitment to contraception innovation and reproductive autonomy, complementing investments in other high-growth categories.

Start Investing With Portfolia in Advancing Women's Health and Contraception Innovation

Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended. The contraception landscape hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. The burden of pregnancy prevention falls overwhelmingly on women. These are solvable problems—but solving them requires investment in innovation.

Portfolia's Women's Health Fund IV gives investors access to companies like YourChoice Therapeutics that are building the future of reproductive health. Fund IV builds on five successful prior funds and a track record that includes backing Maven Clinic, the first U.S. unicorn in women's health, alongside dozens of other category-defining companies.

• Investing accelerates innovation: Capital enables companies to advance through clinical trials, expand research, and bring products to market faster. YourChoice Therapeutics' progress from preclinical development through Phase 1 and into Phase 2 trials was enabled by committed investors who saw the potential of non-hormonal male contraception.
• Investing expands access: When contraception innovation succeeds, it expands options for everyone—women who want alternatives to hormonal methods, couples who want shared responsibility, and individuals who've been underserved by the current landscape.
• Investing supports reproductive autonomy: Choice is meaningless without options. By backing companies building new contraceptive approaches, investors contribute to a future where reproductive decisions are truly autonomous—made with a full range of safe, effective, reversible choices.

Ready to learn more? Explore Portfolia's Women's Health Fund IV thesis, review the fund's strategy and current portfolio, and discover how you can participate in advancing contraception innovation and women's health at scale.

Sources

1. UNFPA. "Nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended—a global crisis." State of World Population 2022.

2. Mannowetz N, et al. "Safety and pharmacokinetics of the non-hormonal male contraceptive YCT-529." Communications Medicine. July 2025.

3. Scientific American. "Male Birth Control Pill YCT-529 Passes Human Safety Test." September 2025.

4. University of Minnesota. "First hormone-free male birth control pill clears another milestone." March 2025.

5. Mannowetz N, et al. "Targeting the retinoid signaling pathway with YCT-529 for effective and reversible oral contraception in mice and primates." Communications Medicine. March 2025.

6. Wikipedia. "YCT529." August 2025.

7. KFF. "Contraceptive Experiences, Coverage, and Preferences: Findings from the 2024 KFF Women's Health Survey." September 2025.

8. WHO. "High rates of unintended pregnancies linked to gaps in family planning services." October 2019.

9. Gates Foundation. "New Contraceptive Technologies 2024: Investment in New Contraceptives for Women." 2023.

10. PMC/NIH. "Preventing Unintended Pregnancies by Providing No-Cost Contraception." 2014.

11. Medscape. "First Hormone-Free Male Pill? YCT-529 Shows Early Promise." May 2025.

12. Portfolia. "Women's Health Fund IV Launch." August 2025.

13. Male Contraceptive Initiative. "YourChoice Therapeutics." 2025.

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