IVFmicro Secures £3.5M to Revolutionize Fertility Treatment Success
IVFmicro, a spinout from the University of Leeds, has secured £3.5 million in pre-seed funding to advance its fertility technology. The company’s microfluidic device aims to improve IVF success rates by enhancing embryo quality and quantity during treatment. Investors include Northern Gritstone, the University of Sheffield, and the British Business Bank’s Future Fund.
The funding round, led by Northern Gritstone, also saw participation from US-based Middget Capital and Innovate UK. IVFmicro’s device uses small volumes of nutrient-rich fluid to support embryo culture and handling, a process designed to boost outcomes for patients undergoing IVF.
Current IVF success rates for women under 35 hover around 25-30%, while the average cost of a single cycle in the UK is roughly £5,000. Many patients face long NHS waiting lists and strict eligibility rules, adding to the challenges of fertility treatment. IVFmicro claims its technology increases embryo quality and quantity by 10-15%, potentially offering a significant improvement for patients seeking fertility treatment.
The company plans to use the new funds for verification and validation before moving to human embryo trials in fertility clinics. With an estimated 1 in 6 couples worldwide experiencing fertility issues, the demand for more effective IVF solutions remains high.
The £3.5 million investment will help IVFmicro refine its device ahead of clinical testing. If successful, the technology could reduce costs and improve success rates for patients undergoing IVF. The next phase will focus on proving its effectiveness in real-world fertility treatments.
