Development of a new non-hormonal contraceptive targeting the AMH/AMHR2 axis in females.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a paracrine factor produced by growing follicles that mediates negative feedback on the activation and growth of new pre-antral follicles. Sustained supraphysiological AMH can suppress follicular development and induce contraception. Herein we will present findings on the mechanism of action of AMH in follicles, the development of new contraceptive modalities including gene therapy with AMH and small molecule agonists of the AMH receptor (AMHR2), and their evaluation in several animal models from mice to cats.
KEYNOTE AND PLENARY SPEAKERS
Dr. David Pépin, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Pépin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Molecular Biologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Native of Ottawa, Canada, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa under the mentorship of Barbara Vanderhyden, and his postdoctoral training with Patricia Donahoe at the MGH in Boston.
Dr. Pépin is a reproductive biologist with expertise in ovarian biology. His research interests include both the basic biology of female reproductive development and its translational application to women’s health. Dr. Pépin has investigated the role of the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in female reproduction, particularly in the context of ovarian function and disease. His laboratory was the first to describe the contraceptive effect of supraphysiological AMH in animal models and elucidate its mechanism of action in pre-antral follicles. He is currently developing therapeutics in late preclinical stage for contraception, assisted reproduction, oncofertility, and reproductive aging.
Dr. Pépin was the recipient of 2022 SSR Virendra B. Mahesh New Investigator Award and is currently the Associate Director of the Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the co-founder of Oviva Therapeutics.