Sperm filtration for improved success rate of assisted reproduction technology

Project Information

Spermotile

Grant agreement ID: 101123485

DOI

10.3030/101123485

Project closed

EC signature date 16 July 2023

Start date 1 August 2023

End date 31 January 2025

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 150 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITETET I TROMSOE - NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Spermotile (Sperm filtration for improved success rate of assisted reproduction technology)

Reporting period: 2023-08-01 to 2025-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ART market is growing at an annual rate of 7.8%. Our population is aging, people are planning families at later ages, and fertility is deteriorating due to occupational, environmental and lifestyle factors. Thus, it is becoming a societal challenge to maintain population growth. Spermotile's ERC PoC project takes the next step in transforming groundbreaking research in the ERC-Stg project 3D-nanoMorph into innovation of commercial and societal value.

Current optical solutions for sperm selection can investigate only morphology, nature of motility and kinematics in terms of speed. Our groundbreaking solution enables to produce motion traces of sperm bearing unprecedented super-resolved details, which can be used to derive advanced kinematic features. Our initial results on individual sperms are promising, for patient samples from both normal and diseased patients.

The technology has a potential to percolate all the segments of ART market through a line of products addressing different needs. We are currently at technology readiness level (TRL) 2. We envisage a spin-off in the future, and this application is the first step in a series of planned innovation tasks.

The objectives of this ERC PoC project are to:
+ evaluate the utility and value of the super-resolution kinematic features,
+ improve the TRL of the technology to TRL3,
+ strike industry collaborations and partnerships, and
+ form a business plan.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

All the stated objectives have been accomplished. The initial results showing the utility of the work has been published in the reputed Fertility and Sterility (Science) journal specific to the application domain. The technology at the end of the project is at TRL3. Critical partnerships and extended advisory panel has been setup, and initial business plan has been developed.

The seed of this project was an invention disclosure. Its patent application has been submitted and crossed the PCT stage now. An additional IP has arisen, which is being prepared for the patent application.

We have attended two entrepreneurship training program, including EIC T2M Pioneer program. We have additionally secured EIC Transition funds.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The seed of this project was an invention disclosure. Its patent application has been submitted and crossed the PCT stage now. An additional IP has arisen, which is being prepared for the patent application.

We have attended two entrepreneurship training program, including EIC T2M Pioneer program. We have additionally secured EIC Transition funds.

Spermotile is now preparing intensively for spin-off readiness.