EMBRYOMICS scientific director receives first iCIRA award for innovation in assisted reproductive treatment

Merck Serono, the biotechnological division of Merck, with the backing of the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF) and the Association for the Study of Reproductive Biology (ASEBIR), awarded the second edition of the iCIRA (Innovation, Quality and Imagery in Assisted Reproduction) 2008/2009 Awards, on 21 November at the Madrid Hilton.

First prize in the category “Innovation in Assisted Reproductive Treatment” when to the work titled “Perfil metabolómico en preembriones humanos como potencial marcador no invasivo de aneuploidias en el diagnóstico preimplantacional humano” (Metabolimic profile in human pre-embryos as a potential non-invasive marker of aneuploidies in the pre-implantation diagnosis in humans) by Dr Francisco Domínguez, scientific director of the biotechnology company, Embryomics. Dr Inma Sánchez, gynaecologist at IVI Barcelona and collaborator at Embryomics also took part in the study together with Dr Carlos Simón, director of the cell lines bank at the Príncipe Felipe Research Centre (CIPF), director of the IVI Foundation and managing director of Embryomics.

The jury was made up of the chairman of the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF) Dr Bonaventura Coroleu and Mr Mark Grossmann i Camps, Chairman of the Association for the study of the reproduction biology (ASEBIR).

The award recognises the pioneer work of Embryomics which, with the introduction of new analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to the field of reproductive medicine, more specifically in the analysis and diagnosis of chromosomal anomalies in human pre-embryos, provides a new non-invasive system to improve the existing invasive pre-implantation diagnosis based on blastomer biopsy. Thanks to the Embryomics diagnosis system, the treatment can be used for any couple who so require and not only for couples complying with certain requirements (advanced age, repeated miscarriage, implantation failure, etc.)as occurs currently.

In addition, the selection of chromosomally normal embryos, without any type of intrusion, permits a substantial improvement in the implantation and pregnancy rates of patients receiving treatment.