Thanks to everyone who has donated to help get Vasalgel™ male contraceptive to market! Since our progress announcement last week, supporters have chipped in 1/4 of the funds needed for the next study!

With encouraging results from the rabbit reversal study (see last newsletter), the last big step before humans is a study in monkeys. But not just any monkeys - baboons, which as adult males can weigh more than 100 pounds (see the big guy at the bottom for example).

Baboons are frequently used for reproductive studies due to their similarity with humans. No, they don't look a whole lot like us! But their anatomy, breeding and reproduction characteristics mean that they make an ideal model for studies of male contraceptives - before new methods are used in humans. Baboons are technically monkeys, but are much larger in size than other monkey species.

This step is key for getting approval for human studies. But none of us wants to have a new contraceptive at the expense of unnecessarily harming animals. So it will cost a little extra because we insisted on a facility where the baboons could be in large outdoor enclosures instead of tiny cages:

The baboons live in social groups in a large enclosure

Several people have asked why we are seeking public support for Vasalgel. Won't a pharmaceutical company or venture capitalist fund the whole thing? Well, big pharma hasn't invested much in male contraception for many reasons (for one, why cannibalize their profitable female contraceptives business?).

Plus, Parsemus Foundation is dedicated to making Vasalgel available at a low cost to as many people as possible. The Vasalgel project is set up as a social venture - where public access is the main motive, not making a killing. So this isn't the next Microsoft stock! While we're looking for philanthropic investments from foundations and high-net-worth individuals who share those goals, funds are tough in the early stages of development. Your help in keeping the project going the next 6-12 months is critical.

If you haven't donated yet, please consider a donation today - even standing up to be counted with a donation of $5 or $10 shows potential funders that the public is demanding better options for male contraception. So far, 413 people have contributed towards making the baboon study happen. We have $14,990 toward the $60,000 goal!


More questions? Check out our recently updated FAQ!

An adult male olive baboon. The baboons in the Vasalgel study will live in housing that meets European standards, not just American standards (which are woefully out of date). They'll live in large outdoor enclosures in social groups or harems, and none of them will have to be killed for the study. For more information about what Parsemus Foundation is doing to change animal care standards from within the system, see "Animal welfare" on our website. Please support us in spending the extra money to do things right! (Photo credit: Planetstillalive)

We're working diligently and are thankful for your support!

Sincerely,
The Vasalgel™ team