Preface

Abstract

The Application of Molecular Pharmacology for Posttesticular Activity (AMPPA) project was conceived by a group of founding fathers which included Gunter Stock Egon Diczfalusy and Mahmoud Fathalla (who was at that time associated with the Rockefeller Foundation) as a novel cooperation between the public and the private sectors- Ernst Schering Research Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. AMPPA started in 1997 and ran for a 5-year period. The aim was to conduct basic research on the epididymis to identify novel targets for male contraception that would act posttesticularly. This was to be achieved by a network of investigators who met every 6 months to review progress and plan for the future [1]. Results from the initial AMPPA collaboration have been reported along with others in a special issue of the Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology [2]. Toward the end of AMPPA it was decided that additional effort was needed to develop new leads for nonhormonal male contraception and that the research scope should be enlarged to encompass postmeiotic testicular targets. A new partnership was therefore formed between Schering AG and CONRAD to support a program to last for at least three years. This project began in 2003 and was named Application of Molecular Pharmacology for Post-meiotic Activity-II (AMPPA-II). Both parties contributed equally to funding the network of investigators. Direction for the program was shared equally between Schering (Ulrich Gottwald and Ursula-F. Habenicht) and CONRAD (Doug Colvard and Michael Harper). AMPPA-II investigators focused on biological validation of targets for male contraception in particular on regulators of epididymal initial segment function antioxidant enzymes sperm volume-regulating channels calcium regulation tyrosine kinases and epididymal genes regulated by androgens. Selection of targets for further evaluation was based on several criteria including target validation potential (e.g. by gene knockout mice) target organ specificity existence of functional human homolog drugability appropriate tools (e.g. assays biomarkers) and patentability. Completion of AMPPA-II was constrained by available resources and corporate reprioritization that occurred when Bayer AG took over Schering AG in early 2006. At the final meeting of AMPPA-II in May 2007 the participants in this unique endeavor unanimously concluded that it had been successful and certain promising targets for male contraception had been identified that should continue to be pursued. The final AMPPA-II meeting was immediately followed by a meeting on June 1 2007 to review and discuss important aspects of the present and future of male contraceptives entitled Male Fertility Control-Where are we? The attendees sought to address questions such as Where do we stand? What progress was made? and Is there a social and medical need? and to illuminate bridging approaches between female and male fertility control to share some thoughts on the putative consumer and to discuss the role of public-private partnership to accelerate the long way from research to the product. The chapters that follow represent presentations and comments from this last meeting. (full-text)