“Mother of Male Birth Control” Selects Forbes 30 Under 30 Tech Entrepreneur to Bring Non-Surgical, Reversible Male Contraceptive to Market
The Overturn of Roe v. Wade Places Additional Urgency on Male Birth Control
For over a decade, Elaine Lissner, Founder of Parsemus Foundation and Revolution Contraceptives, LLC, has led the development of Vasalgel, a long-lasting, reversible male birth control. Today, Lissner announced that Revolution Contraceptives has turned over the technology to NEXT Life Sciences, Inc. and its Founder and CEO L.R. Fox.
“We are thrilled to announce that NEXT will be taking over the development of this innovative medical technology. Getting a viable, reversible contraceptive option for men to market has been a lifelong goal of mine, and in light of the erosion of women's reproductive rights, it is even more pressing to have additional options to prevent unintended pregnancies,” Lissner said. “Fox and the team at NEXT are well positioned to complete the development of this flexible hydrogel contraceptive. Passionate supporters around the world are eagerly awaiting Vasalgel. We are excited to support Fox and NEXT as they take it over the finish line.”
Lissner, referred to by some as a “Mother of Male Birth Control,” first became interested in advancing male contraception over three decades ago, while in her freshman year at Stanford University. For decades, she has tenaciously pursued this goal by increasing awareness about reproductive equity, conveying the public’s demand to policymakers, and founding organizations to further support research on male contraceptives.
In 2010, Lissner’s nonprofit licensed RISUG, a male contraceptive developed in India. This began the journey to a new contraceptive called Vasalgel, which NEXT will now prepare for human trials. Lissner sought a partner with the resources and mission-alignment to lead the last phases of the project and selected L.R. Fox, a successful tech entrepreneur and Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient with a passion for improving society. Fox is the Founder and CEO of NEXT Life Sciences, a developer and distributor of medical technology that will empower people to choose when and if to have a child.
“We at NEXT are passionate about bringing this promising male birth control solution to market at a time when many men are seeking ways to be more involved in reproductive health,” Fox said. “I have enjoyed working with Elaine on this effort. In fact, our relationship began when I, personally, sought better contraception options. Since then, I have become a huge fan of Elaine and Revolution Contraceptives. I look forward to continuing Elaine’s legacy by taking Vasalgel to the world,” he concluded.
Vasalgel is a proprietary hydrogel injected into the vas deferens (the tube that sperm swim through). The procedure is similar to a vasectomy, but instead of permanently cutting the vas, the hydrogel is intended to act as a flexible filter for sperm. The ultimate goal is for Vasalgel to be easily dissolved or flushed out whenever a man wishes to restore the flow of sperm.
NEXT Life Sciences, Inc. develops and distributes medical technology that empowers people to choose when and if to have a child. For more information, visit https://nextlifesciences.org/.
The Parsemus Foundation works to create meaningful improvements in human and animal health and welfare by advancing innovative and neglected medical research. For more information visit https://parsemus.org/.