Apr 11 2014
Unisense FertiliTech A/S announces that the company has been awarded a USA patent for design aspects of their EmbryoSlide® culture dish. The dish is used in conjunction with the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system for optimal culture of human embryos during IVF. Similar design patents have been awarded in Europe, Japan, and India and are expected in China, Brazil, and Israel.
EmbryoSlide®culture dish with the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system.
During IVF, embryos are routinely removed from an incubator in order to assess embryo quality and to evaluate the embryo with the highest potential to make a baby. The EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system incorporates a highly stable incubator with an integrated microscope and imaging system. The system automatically identifies and focuses on the embryos which are placed in the EmbryoSlide® culture dish, and acquires images in multiple focal planes to create time-lapse movies of embryo development. These movies are used by medical professionals to determine which embryo(s) are best suited for transfer.
High image quality is extremely important for accurate time-lapse analysis to ensure that cell division events and other morphological events can be observed. A key to obtaining good image quality is the need to hold the embryos in a confined area to allow optimal imaging. The unique culture well design allows embryos to be grown in a defined space without the possibility for an embryo to drift into a neighboring well. Each well is specifically identified to prevent inadvertent transfer of the wrong embryo. Finally, the design optimizes temperature stability as the culture dishes are housed in a precisely engineered heating arm. These unique features are patent protected in Europe, USA, Japan and China.
Mai Faurschou, Patent Manager at Unisense FertiliTech, states "this design patent is a welcomed addition to our IP portfolio, and ensures that we can maintain a leading edge in image acquisition, embryo handling and embryo evaluation".
Unisense FertiliTech continues to expand its intellectual property rights for methods and inventions developed to improve clinical practice in assisted reproduction. Vagn Rasmussen, Chief Commercial Officer states "Our active patent portfolio represents the company's ongoing development program which focuses on bringing innovative new technologies to clinics worldwide".
About Unisense FertiliTech A/S
Unisense FertiliTech A/S was founded in 2003 in Aarhus, Denmark, as a subsidiary of Unisense A/S, to develop technology to improve human embryo culture and evaluation in assisted reproduction. The company has developed and manufactures the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system which has been used for more than 135,000 patient treatments in over 40 countries worldwide. The Embryoscope™ time-lapse system is CE marked as a Class II medical device in Europe, and is the only IVF time-lapse system which is FDA 510K cleared for clinical use in the USA.