Novel Micro Device Simplifies IVF, Male Subfertility

A University of Adelaide research team and medical technology company, Fertilis, have produced a novel micro device to simplify the only fertility treatment technique associated with men with low sperm counts.

Male subfertility accounts for roughly 50% of all infertility cases in couples seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment worldwide.

This revolutionary device will allow more IVF clinics to offer an infertility treatment called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This slow and challenging treatment involves injecting a single living sperm into an oocyte (egg) to form an embryo in a laboratory.

This new device will also improve several other IVF procedures, such as embryo cryopreservation, embryo culture, and in vitro maturation.

This newly developed technology is smaller than a pinhead and holds up to 10 segregated eggs, allowing for quicker injections and ease of tracking while minimizing errors.

“The development of this new, innovative approach is an important breakthrough for people wanting to start a family who haven’t been able to due to male infertility,” said Kylie Dunning, PhD, lead researcher at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute, in a May news release.

“This discovery removes significant barriers to treatment for people with infertility and will improve IVF success,” she added.

Dunning explained that removing the need for the pipette that typically holds the unfertilized egg in place during ICSI streamlines the injection process, reduces dependency on a high level of technical experience, and will significantly improve embryo production.

Jeremy Thompson, PhD, device inventor and Fertilis co-founder, announced that his company is excited to bring this innovative new device to the market.

“Where IVF science has excelled, technology has tended to stagnate — until now,” emphasized Thompson.

“ICSI hasn’t changed since its discovery 30 years ago. Continued innovation in the IVF lab like this is the only way we will boost success and reduce the financial and emotional burden for patients,” Thompson concluded.

The discovery of the breakthrough technology was supported by the Australian Research Council and the Hospital Research Foundation Group, and global clinical trials for this device will begin sometime this year.

“This device is set to be a game-changer for thousands of hopeful parents who need to rely on ICSI,” noted Paul Flynn, Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital Research Foundation Group.