Gameto just presented findings on Fertilo, their product candidate designed to mature oocytes outside of the body at the 2023 American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Congress. The data suggests Fertilo could improve both oocyte maturation and human embryo development in minimal stimulation cycles. Here’s a breakdown of what was shared:
What is Fertilo?
Fertilo is an iPSC-derived solution aimed at enhancing the in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes. The intent behind the development is to streamline the process, potentially making fertility treatments more accessible and convenient for a wider range of patients.
Key Findings and Collaborations
- Comparison with MediCult IVM: In a collaborative study with Eugin Clinic, one of Europe’s leading fertility clinic chains, Fertilo’s effectiveness was juxtaposed against MediCult IVM. The research indicated that Fertilo improves oocyte maturation rates. Moreover, there was no observed compromise in the quality of the matured oocytes. In another study with New York-based fertility clinics, Spring Fertility and Extend Fertility, Fertilo-IVM was observed to enhance euploid blastocyst formation, an essential developmental health indicator.
- Safety in Reprotoxicology: Partnering with Embryotools of Barcelona, Gameto conducted a multigenerational reprotoxicology study. Fertilo-IVM exhibited an improved blastocyst formation rate over MediCult IVM. There were no detected differences in live birth rates or developmental abnormalities between generations, suggesting Fertilo’s safety in this model.
- Rescue IVM Study: A study in collaboration with Extend Fertility of New York looked into Fertilo’s application in the rescue IVM of immature oocytes that didn’t complete development via traditional methods. The results showed Fertilo’s maturation rate to be higher than that of other industry solutions. Moreover, gene expression in oocytes treated with Fertilo-IVM closely resembled those from conventional IVF procedures.
- Gene Expression Analysis: In association with RMA of New York, Gameto explored oocyte gene expression across Fertilo-IVM, MediCult IVM, and conventional IVF. The findings showed that gene expressions in Fertilo-treated oocytes were more consistent with those in the IVF standard than in MediCult IVM.
A Glimpse into Gameto
Gameto, with its focus on women’s health, is currently directing its efforts towards infertility solutions. Their primary program, Fertilo, has the potential to modify the IVF and egg freezing processes by allowing for external maturation of eggs. This could lead to fewer hormonal injections for patients.
On the record
Christian Kramme PhD, Vice President of Cell Engineering at Gameto, shared: “Women’s reproductive health has been an underserved and underdeveloped area compared to its large patient population size in biotechnology research and this is just the beginning of Gameto’s efforts to fill this gap. Our findings make us hopeful that the reproductive journey for women can be improved and we are eager to share insights from our product candidate, Fertilo, with the broader scientific community and learn from these discussions.”
