Contraline, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel male contraceptives, has closed a $92.5 million Series B co-led by BVF Partners and RA Capital Management, with participation from GV (Google Ventures), Lumira Ventures, and Invus. The funding will advance NES/T Gel, an investigational hormonal, reversible male contraceptive, into Phase 3 clinical development anticipated in 2027.
NES/T is a once-daily topical gel combining the synthetic progestin segesterone acetate (Nestorone) with testosterone, designed to suppress sperm production while maintaining physiological testosterone levels. The program recently completed a global Phase 2b trial enrolling 462 couples and demonstrated encouraging efficacy, tolerability, reversibility, and user acceptability. NES/T was developed by the Population Council in collaboration with the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with Contraline holding exclusive worldwide commercialization rights.
If approved, NES/T would become the first pharmacologic contraceptive for men – a category that has remained empty despite decades of research. Survey data suggest more than 40 million men in the U.S. would consider using a novel male contraceptive.
“Male contraception represents one of the largest unmet needs in reproductive health,” said co-founder and CEO Kevin Eisenfrats. “Our mission at Contraline is to create new contraceptive options that expand reproductive choice for men and couples.”
“Male contraception has long been an overlooked area,” said Laura Stoppel, partner at RA Capital Management. “Contraline is helping redefine what reproductive choice can look like by giving men a more active role in family planning and expanding options for couples who may not be well served by existing contraceptives.”
Contraline is also advancing ADAM, an investigational long-lasting, non-hormonal, reversible contraceptive currently in clinical development – giving the company both hormonal and non-hormonal approaches in its pipeline. At $92.5 million, this is one of the largest venture rounds ever raised for male contraception.
