Fertility
Open science advances non-hormonal contraceptives
An open science initiative is accelerating work on non-hormonal contraceptives by targeting a sperm-specific enzyme linked to fertility.
The research focuses on developing a pill that works differently from hormonal contraception by temporarily disabling a protein found almost exclusively in sperm, rather than altering a woman’s hormonal cycle.
The target is an enzyme called phosphoglycerate kinase 2, or PGK2, which is critical for energy production and sperm movement.
Researchers believe that blocking PGK2 prevents sperm from generating the energy needed to swim and reach or fertilise an egg. Because the enzyme is largely confined to sperm cells, this approach could avoid many of the systemic side effects associated with hormonal contraceptives.
The work is led by the UNC Structural Genomics Consortium within the University of North Carolina’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy and is funded by the Gates Foundation as part of a broader effort to accelerate women’s health innovation.
Tim Willson, chief scientist for the consortium’s North Carolina programme, said: “Pregnancy is one of the major drivers of poverty in many of these countries.
“Giving women more control over when they conceive is a key area to make a real impact.
“What makes PGK2 so interesting is that it’s almost exclusively expressed in sperm cells. We suspect that if you can selectively inhibit this enzyme, the sperm can’t generate the energy they need to function.”
The consortium plays a central role in the Gates Foundation’s Contraceptive Drug Accelerator, a global network of academic laboratories working to identify and validate new drug targets for non-hormonal contraception.
Scientists from institutions in the US and India meet weekly to share data, compounds and findings.
In line with its open science approach, all aspects of the project are carried out openly, with no intellectual property restrictions.
“That’s where you really see open science at work,” Willson said.
“Every compound we make and every dataset we generate is shared immediately, which allows us to move incredibly fast.”
Since the project began in May 2025, the team has developed five highly selective probe compounds, an unusually rapid pace for early-stage drug discovery.
These compounds are now being distributed across the Gates Foundation’s Contraceptive Drug Accelerator network for testing in sperm function models.
“That specificity is the goal,” Willson said.
“We’re trying to shut down sperm function without interfering with the hormonal cycles that regulate women’s health.”
Researchers note that the work remains at an early stage and that any resulting contraceptive would still be several years away from clinical use.
“At the end of the day, the more we understand about human biology, the better drugs we can make,” Willson said.
“Open science removes barriers and lets the best ideas rise to the top.”
Onto Health has acquired Levy Health, a fertility software company providing precision diagnostics and patient intake for reproductive medicine.
The acquisition, fuelled by Onto Health’s US$20m Series A fundraise in April, supports its plan to build scalable, tech-enabled infrastructure for reproductive medicine.
Onto founder Roohi Jeelani, MD, called it the first of several moves in the company’s expansion strategy in a LinkedIn post, adding that there was “more coming soon”.
She said: “This isn’t just an acquisition, it’s proof of how we’re building Onto: physician-led, tech-enabled, and built to scale without losing the personal touch fertility patients deserve.”
Headquartered in Chicago, Onto Health combines evidence-based fertility care with artificial intelligence-driven diagnostics, clinical automation and longevity science.
AI-driven diagnostics use software to analyse patient information and support clinical decision-making, rather than replace clinicians.
Levy Health, founded in Berlin with US offices in San Francisco, helps medical providers identify endocrine disorders more quickly and helps clinics streamline fertility workups.
Endocrine disorders affect the body’s hormone system, which can influence ovulation, menstrual cycles and fertility.
Co-founder Caroline Mitterdorfer said joining Onto would expand Levy Health’s fertility care tools to more clinics and patients, helping physicians focus on patient care.
Onto opened its first clinic in Chicago in February, with plans for three more in the greater Chicago area.
The company said in April that it would use its new funding, led by Artis and Humania, to support additional operations in the US and expand into the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The Gulf Cooperation Council includes six Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf.
Softening ageing ovaries could help women remain fertile for longer, early animal research suggests.
Fertility declines with age for several reasons, including poorer egg quality, fewer ovarian follicles and the gradual stiffening of ovarian tissue.
Existing fertility treatments, including hormone therapy and in vitro fertilisation, mainly address hormonal imbalances or help eggs mature or become fertilised.
Scientists are now examining whether changing the physical structure of the ovaries could provide another route for future fertility treatments.
Stuart A. Cook, of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Programme at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, published an accompanying commentary on the research.
Researchers led by Shixuan Wang at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, collected healthy ovarian tissue from younger, middle-aged and older women.
They also examined samples from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, known as PCOS, premature ovarian insufficiency, or POI, and endometriosis.
PCOS is a hormonal condition that can disrupt ovulation. POI occurs when the ovaries stop working normally before the age of 40, while endometriosis causes tissue similar to the womb lining to grow elsewhere in the body.
Tests of protein levels and gene activity found higher levels of the inflammatory protein interleukin-11, or IL-11, in ageing and diseased ovaries.
In laboratory experiments, the researchers exposed ovarian fibroblasts to IL-11. Fibroblasts are cells that produce connective tissue.
The protein caused the cells to produce excess collagen, a structural material that can build up during scarring and make tissue stiffer.
The researchers then genetically modified mice so they could not respond to IL-11. The animals developed less ovarian stiffening and maintained better ovarian function as they aged.
Similar results were seen in mouse models of PCOS and POI caused by chemotherapy.
In the final part of the experiment, older mice and rats were injected with a nanoparticle treatment containing small interfering RNA, or siRNA, designed to switch off IL-11.
The treatment made the animals’ ovaries less stiff and improved fertility.
Pregnancy rates among older mice rose from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, while average litter sizes also increased.
More rats treated with the therapy became pregnant and produced larger litters.
The approach remains highly speculative and will require considerably more research before its safety or effectiveness in women can be established.
However, the researchers said blocking the inflammatory pathway could eventually form the basis of new fertility treatments.
They said: “We propose that anti-IL-11 therapy represents a promising translational strategy for delaying ovarian ageing.”
W Group has opened applications for W Accelerate with Merck KGaA and M Ventures, inviting reproductive and maternal health startups, scaleups and spinouts to pitch for direct access to global pharma partnership and strategic investment.
Selected companies will pitch on 5th October, competing for the chance to accelerate their growth through commercial partnerships, investment, or both.
This is the third time Merck KGaA, a global leader in reproductive health, has partnered with W Group on the programme, which exists to close the innovation and investment gap in women’s health by connecting the sector’s most promising startups directly with the corporates and investors positioned to scale them.
What Merck KGaA and M Ventures are looking for
This year’s call is focused on breakthrough solutions in female infertility, fertility preservation, adenomyosis, endometriosis, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), ovarian insufficiency, preeclampsia and pregnancy comorbidities.
New for this round, applicants choose between three pathways depending on what they need from the programme:
- The Partnership Lane, for companies seeking commercial collaborations and strategic relationships
- The Investment Lane, for founders looking to connect with investors and secure funding to scale
- The Dual Lane, for innovators pursuing both partnership and investment opportunities
How the Accelerate event works
Selected companies get a 1:1 pitch practice session ahead of time, then a private 30-minute session with Merck KGaA and M Ventures leadership on the day itself, small-group sessions with regulatory and investment strategy experts, an “Ask Merck Anything” roundtable, and a VIP networking reception.
Key dates
- Open call launches: 8th July
- Open call closes: 2nd September
- Notification of successful companies: 11th September
- Pitch day: 5th October
Applications are open now at wplatform.typeform.com/to/KGzviBQM.
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