The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first non-hormonal prescription birth control gel on May 22, 2020. Phexxi™ (lactic acid, citric acid and potassium bitartrate), developed by Evofem Biosciences, is an “on-demand”contraceptive method that maintains vaginal pH levels within a range of 3.5 to 4.5 – an environment which is inhospitable for sperm.
"The FDA approval of Phexxi means women now have access to a non-hormonal contraceptive that they control, on their terms, to be used only when they need it," stated Saundra Pelletier of Evofem.
Evofem expects to launch Phexxi in early September, which will be a step forward in expanding method choice for contraceptive users.