Media Resources
Parsemus Foundation Press Information
About the Parsemus Foundation
The Parsemus Foundation works to create meaningful improvements in human and animal health and welfare by advancing innovative and neglected medical research. The foundation supports proof-of-concept studies and then seeks to raise awareness of results, to ensure that they change treatment practice rather than disappear into the scientific literature. Many of the studies the foundation supports involve low-cost approaches that are not under patent, and are thus unlikely to be pursued by pharmaceutical companies due to limited profit potential.
The Parsemus Foundation’s main focus has been developing Vasalgel as a non-hormonal male contraceptive. The foundation has partnered with NEXT Life Sciences to complete development of the product and bring it to market. For information on Vasalgel, please contact NEXT Life Sciences.
For information on the development of non-hormonal male contraceptives, visit the Male Contraceptive Initiative.
The foundation also works on pet contraception, including hormone-sparing sterilization options and hormone restoration; noninvasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate); prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; and iron deficiency.
The Parsemus Foundation supported clinical studies on the effectiveness of existing medications to treat COVID infection, including enrollment support for the University of Minnesota’s COVID-Out trial.
The foundation has also supported the development of the nonprofit Menopause Hormone Project to ensure that evidence-based information about menopause hormone therapy is available to women and physicians.
For media coverage of our projects, please contact us at media@parsemusfoundation.org
Latest News
COVID-OUT Clinical Trial Results Announced!
The key finding: if started within 4 days of COVID symptoms, the widely available diabetes drug metformin reduced serious outcomes by more than half.
Background: The COVID-OUT clinical trial was aimed at understanding if safe, commonly available medications may treat COVID-19 symptoms and those of long COVID. The study examined the medications metformin, ivermectin, and fluvoxamine, which are known to decrease inflammatory proteins (cytokines) in the body. They also appear to possibly stop the proteins inside cells that help viruses reproduce and spread. This rigorous randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted by the University of Minnesota under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Bramante.
Funders: The Parsemus Foundation provided pilot funding and enrollment support to the University of Minnesota. Additional major funders include the University of Minnesota Clinical Translational Science Institute, the Rainwater Foundation, FastGrants, and UnitedHealth Group Research and Development.
Additional Information:
- Parsemus Foundation Press Release (English, Spanish, Portuguese)
- University of Minnesota COVID-OUT Press Release
- Parsemus Foundation COVID-OUT webpage
- New England Journal of Medicine Publication
- KARE 11 News coverage
- Northwestern Medicine release
- University of Colorado release
- Parsemus Foundation video files English, Spanish, Portuguese
Image Files, Videos, and Printable Materials
Parsemus Foundation Logo
Executive And Associate Headshots
Program: COVID-19

Video and Audio Files, and Transcripts
Elaine Lissner, Trustee
Parsemus Foundation
Program: Contraception in Humans

Vasalgel Logo
Vasalgel wordmark, Vasalgel tagline, and Revolution Contraceptives logo (Printable artwork)

Current Options in Male Contraception
Infographic by Revolution Contraceptives, data from United Nations World Contraceptive Patterns 2015

Existing Contraceptive Methods
Infographic by Male Contraceptive Initiative

Male Contraceptive Research Locations
Infographic by Male Contraceptive Initiative

Contraceptive Use by Method
2019 Report by United Nations Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs
Program: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in Humans

BPH symptoms and prostate size
Animated infographic comparing growing prostate size to real-world objects, based on age range.
Program: Sterilization in Animals

The Risks of Spay & Neuter
Infographic about the health risks to dogs of gonadectomy

Overview of Hormone-Sparing Sterilization
Printable handout by Parsemus Foundation

Alternatives in Sterilization and Contraception in Dogs
Video presentation by Dr. Michelle Kutzler, 2021

Calcium Chloride Nonsurgical Neuter: Bibliography
Reference resource by Parsemus Foundation

Hormone-sparing Spay Advertising
Printable ad (with crop marks) by Parsemus Foundation

Hormone-sparing Sterilization Advertising
Printable ad (with crop marks) by Parsemus Foundation
Program: Animal Welfare

Aqualabyrinth - A New Enrichment for Laboratory Zebrafish
White Paper by Dorothée Therrien and Aurore Dodelet-Devillers