
On December 7th 2024, Peru celebrated the birth of the first baby conceived through an innovative in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique, marking a major advancement in reproductive science. The method, known as Fertilo, uses reprogrammed stem cells to help mature eggs outside of the body, dramatically reducing the length of treatment, and the number of hormone injections traditionally required for IVF.
Since the birth of the first ‘test-tube baby’ in 1978, an estimated 12 million children worldwide have been conceived through IVF and other assisted technologies. In the UK, approximately 1.3% of all births in recent years having been achieved using this technique. However, despite over four decades of clinical use, the process continues to be both physically and emotionally demanding for expectant parents. Ordinarily, the treatment involves 2-3 weeks of daily, high-dose hormone injections designed to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs per cycle, as opposed to the typical single egg released naturally. A final injection then triggers the eggs to rapidly mature. Several days later a minor surgical procedure, known as ‘Egg Retrieval’, is performed to collect the eggs. These mature eggs are then fertilised in the lab using either a partner’s or a donor’s sperm, and the most viable embryos are transferred into the uterus (or frozen for future use).
IVF has seen several advancements behind the scenes (such as developments in cryopreservation, timelapse imaging and more recently AI use to improve embryo selection for increased success rates). Yet, from a patient perspective, many of the core steps of IVF have remained largely unchanged since the technology’s inception. Fertilo, however, hopes to change the experience.
With this alternative approach, doctors intentionally retrieve immature eggs, after just three days of patient hormone injections. These eggs are then matured in the lab by co-culturing them with several different types of ovarian support cells (OSCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These OSCs work together to produce the necessary hormones and nutrients needed, mimicking the natural egg maturation process. Fertilisation and embryo transfer then proceed as with conventional IVF.
Although in vitro maturation (IVM) itself is neither new nor experimental (thousands of babies have been born through IVM over the last 30 years), Fertilo is first to involve stem cell technology. This approach results in significantly shorter treatment cycles and hugely reduces the hormonal intervention, thus minimising the risk of complications such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (a serious condition where the ovaries become swollen causing bloating, severe abdominal pain and sometimes even respiratory issues). Additionally, traditional IVF cycles often carry significant finical burdens. In the UK these can be exacerbated by stark geographical disparities in access to NHS-funded treatment, highlighting the pressing need for more accessible and affordable solutions, which this advancement may provide. By addressing these aspects, this innovation has the potential to revolutionise both the physical and emotional experience of IVF.
The company behind Fertilo, Gameto, is a female-led biotech initiative based in New York and Boston, which strives to develop treatment solutions to improve reproductive health across all stages of life. Their research spans infertility, egg freezing, reproduction-associated diseases, as well as menopause and related conditions. Their goal with Fertilo is to offer an alternative to traditional IVF. Dr Dina Radenkovic, CEO and co-founder of Gameto, believes in the technology’s potential describing it as a “faster, safer and more accessible solution”. She explained, “The ability to mature eggs outside the body with minimal hormonal intervention significantly reduces risks [..] and alleviates the side effects caused by high hormone doses.”
The science behind the new platform is intriguing, but its potential to transform patients’ lives may be just as remarkable. The mother of the first ‘Fertilo Baby’ echoed Dr. Radenkovic’s optimism “With fewer injections and a gentler, less invasive egg retrieval process, it gave me hope and reassurance during a deeply personal journey. Fertilo’s innovative approach made the physical experience easier and also lightened the emotional burden of many hormone injections.”
However, despite it’s potential to change the landscape, there are several concerns that warrant discussion. Firstly, although existing research into the development of IVM babies has revealed no major health issues, and Gameto’s own research has shown no toxicity in mice, both the success rates and the long-term safety of OSCs use are yet to be fully validated in humans through large-scale clinical trials. This, combined with the novel use of stem cell-based technology in fertility treatment will likely lead to rigorous scrutiny from regulatory bodies such as the Department for Health or the FDA, which may impact the pace of its adoption in the UK and USA. Additionally, promoting Fertilo as “faster” and “more accessible” risks inflating patients’ hopes and expectations, so if the actual outcomes fall short, this could lead to disappointment and erode trust in the technology. Similarly, disparities in availability are likely to persist due to differences in location and healthcare infrastructure, keeping initial costs high. When combined, the technique may continue to limit IVF access for many individuals and perpetuate existing inequities in fertility care. Ultimately, trust in this new technology and the organisation behind it could easily be undermined if these challenges are not adequately addressed.
Gameto’s approach is just the latest advancement in the rapidly evolving field of reproductive science, a research area which has seen astounding breakthroughs in recent years. In 2023, scientists in Japan generated egg cells by reprogramming the skin cells of male mice. This led to mouse pups with two biological fathers – the first time this has been achieved in mammals. These pups went on to have a normal life expectancy and father healthy offspring of their own. The lead researcher, Katsuhiko Hayashi, a pioneer in the field of lab-grown eggs and sperm, hopes that this work could benefit both queer and heterosexual couples experiencing fertility issues and wishing to have biological children. Although still far from clinical application in humans (both due to concerns around safety and efficacy, but also ethical disputes), such advances offer a glimpse into a future where fertility treatments could overcome current biological limitations. Like in many countries, the use of “artificial” sperm and eggs in reproduction is not currently legal in the UK, however scientific advances in the next decade or two may prompt legal and societal shifts.
Fertilo however, is already here and making its mark. In addition to Peru, the technique has been cleared for commercial use in Australia, Japan, Argentina, Paraguay and Mexico. In the end, only time will tell if this promising advancement will redefine IVF treatments globally and make having biological children more accessible than ever before.
Article written by Eleanor Stamp, PhD student at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh.
Article edited by Emma Walsh, undergraduate student at University of Edinburgh, studying Biomedical Sciences/ Neuroscience, and Online Editor for EUSci.
Many thanks are also extended to Claudia González-Márquez, LLM Medical Law and Ethics, for the ethico-legal insights and consultation.
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