A Brief History and Advancement of Contraceptive Multipurpose Prevention Technology (cMPT) Products

Update on the research on the antigens of anti-sperm antibodies over the last decade

This review summarizes the advancements over a decade of research on antigens of anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs), which are key to male immune infertility. Despite the progress in assisted reproductive technologies, understanding the roles and mechanisms of ASAs and their antigens remains vital for immune infertility management. We conducted a comprehensive literature search on PubMed from January 2013 to December 2023 using the following keywords: "anti-sperm antibody," "sperm antigen," and "immune infertility." In this review, we focus on the discoveries in sperm antigen identification and characterization through proteomics, gene disruption technology, and immunoinformatics, along with the development of fertility biomarkers. Here, we discuss the clinical applications of improved ASA detection methods and the progress in the development of immunocontraceptive vaccines. The intersection of advanced diagnostic techniques and vaccine development represents a promising frontier in reproductive health. The findings also highlight the need for standardized ASA detection methods and a comprehensive molecular-level approach to understanding ASA-related infertility. These insights underscore the significance of ongoing reproductive immunology research in enhancing clinical fertility outcomes and contraceptive vaccine development.

Tackling Infectious Diseases with Rapid Molecular Diagnosis and Innovative Prevention

Infectious diseases (IDs) are a leading cause of death. The diversity and adaptability of microbes represent a continuing risk to health. Combining vision with passion, our transdisciplinary medical research team has been focussing its work on the better management of infectious diseases for saving human lives over the past five decades through medical discoveries and innovations that helped change the practice of medicine. The team used a multiple-faceted and integrated approach to control infectious diseases through fundamental discoveries and by developing innovative prevention tools and rapid molecular diagnostic tests to fulfill the various unmet needs of patients and health professionals in the field of ID. In this article, as objectives, we put in context two main research areas of ID management: innovative infection prevention that is woman-controlled, and the rapid molecular diagnosis of infection and resistance. We also explain how our transdisciplinary approach encompassing specialists from diverse fields ranging from biology to engineering was instrumental in achieving success. Furthermore, we discuss our vision of the future for translational research to better tackle IDs.

Reversible female contraceptives: historical, current, and future perspectives†

Contraception is a practice with extensive and complicated social and scientific histories. From cycle tracking, to the very first prescription contraceptive pill, to now having over-the-counter contraceptives on demand, family planning is an aspect of healthcare that has undergone and will continue to undergo several transformations through time. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current reversible hormonal and non-hormonal birth control methods as well as their mechanism of action, safety, and effectiveness specifically for individuals who can become pregnant. Additionally, we discuss the latest Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved hormonal method containing estetrol and drospirenone that has not yet been used worldwide as well as the first FDA-approved hormonal over-the-counter progestin-only pills. We also review available data on novel hormonal delivery through microchip, microneedle, and the latest FDA-approved non-hormonal methods such as vaginal pH regulators. Finally, this review will assist in advancing female contraceptive method development by underlining constructive directions for future pursuits. Information was gathered from the NCBI and Google Scholars databases using English and included publications from 1900 to present. Search terms included contraceptive names as well as efficacy, safety, and mechanism of action. In summary, we suggest that investigators consider the side effects and acceptability together with the efficacy of contraceptive candidate towards their development.