Gameto offers safer, more affordable IVF alternative Fertilo

Texas-based biotechnology firm Gameto developed a more accessible alternative to in vitro fertilization called Fertilo.

Instead of relying on hormone injections to mature eggs, it uses ovarian support cells (OSC) to promote egg maturation in a laboratory.

On December 16, 2024, the biotech company announced the birth of the first Fertilo baby. Dr. Luis Guzmán, Lead at Pranor Labs & Science in Peru, oversaw the procedure.

How does Fertilo work?

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(2/) Fertilo is an iPSC-derived solution aimed at improving IVF/egg freezing by recreating the natural egg maturation process outside the body, decreasing the traditional 10-14 days of hormone injections to 3 days or less, reducing the cycle duration and associated side effects.

— Gameto (@GametoGen) December 12, 2024

The official Gameto website says Fertilo moves the egg maturation process outside the body. 

As a result, it provides a shorter, easier, and more accessible in vitro fertilization (IVF). Here’s how it works:

1. Shortened hormonal stimulation: Patients would only receive up to three days of hormonal stimulation. Consequently, they’re likely to have fewer side effects and spend less time at the clinic. In contrast, traditional IVF requires a hormonal stimulation period of up to 12 days. 
2. Egg retrieval: Doctors would retrieve the patient’s eggs, similar to conventional IVF.
3. Egg maturation with Fertilo: The clinicians would place the immature eggs in a dish with Fertilo for around a day. Also, it will replace the body’s natural maturation process by producing necessary hormones and nutrients.
4. Fertilization or Freezing: The clinic will freeze the eggs for future use or fertilize them for IVF.

Dr. Luis Guzmán explained the advantages of Fertilo over conventional IVF:

“The ability to mature eggs outside the body with minimal hormonal intervention significantly reduces risks such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and alleviates the side effects caused by high hormone doses.”

He oversaw the first live human birth using the Fertilo method at the Santa Isabel Clinic in Lima, Peru. 

The child’s mother shared her gratitude for the novel approach.

“With fewer injections and a gentler, less invasive egg retrieval process, it gave me hope and reassurance during a deeply personal journey,” she said. 

Gameto says the US hasn’t approved Fertilo yet, but the FDA has provided tentative approval for a Phase 3 trial.