Contraceptive pill trials for men have been tested before but previously have failed in human attempts.
The new study from Md Abdullah al Noman at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis has been found to drastically reduce sperm counts for the period the mice were taking the medication.
Within four to six weeks after ceasing treatment, the mice were able to reproduce again, with sperm counts returning to normal successfully.
The study has declared the trial to be 99 per cent effective at preventing pregnancy in mice, with no observed side effects.
Human trials are being planned. However, researchers warn that safety concerns could prevent the drug from reaching the market.
“Safety is very important for birth control pills because people are not taking it for a disease, so they are less tolerant of side effects,” says Md Abdullah al Noman at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
While Md Noman and his team did not observe any side effects in mice, this doesn’t guarantee that the drug will be safe in humans, says Richard Anderson at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
“If you were developing a drug that’s targeting a completely novel pathway, I think it would be appropriate to be cautious about safety when there isn’t a track record in that field.” Anderson says.