Predictive assay for the outcome of IVF
AssigneeRoyal Free Hospital School of Medicine
InventorsBrian Cooke, Anthony Michael
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for predicting the outcome of IVF which comprises: (i) determining the level of 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.-HSD) in a biological sample from a female patient; and (ii) predicting from the level of 11.beta.-HSD determined the probability of establishing pregnancy in said subject by IVF. It has been found that there is an inverse correlation between the levels of 11.beta.-HSD in the environment of the oocyte and subsequent establishment of pregnancy by IVF. The present invention also provides methods of screening female subjects for their suitability to take part in IVF programs, and kits to use in determining levels of 11.beta.-HSD.
Claims17
A method for predicting the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) which comprises:
- (i) determining a level of 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.-HSD) in a biological sample from a female subject;
- and
- (ii) predicting from the level of 11.beta.-HSD determined the probability of establishing pregnancy in said subject by IVF-ET.
A method for predicting whether implantation of a fertilized oocyte will result in pregnancy in a female subject following IVF-ET which comprises:
- (i) removing a biological sample from the subject;
- (ii) determining a level of 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.-HSD) in the sample;
- and
- (iii) predicting from the level of 11.beta.-HSD the probability of establishing pregnancy in said subject by IVF-ET.
A method for predicting whether implantation of a fertilized oocyte will result in pregnancy in a female subject following IVF-ET which comprises:
- (i) removing oocytes from a female subject together with a biological sample;
- (i') fertilising said oocytes in vitro;
- (ii) determining the level of 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.-HSD) in a sample;
- and
- (iii) predicting from the level of 11.beta.-HSD determined the probability of establishing pregnancy in said subject by IVF-ET.
A method for predicting whether implantation of a fertilized oocyte will result in pregnancy in a female subject following IVF-ET which comprises:
- (i) removing oocytes from a female subject together with a biological sample;
- (ii) determining a level of 11.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11.beta.-HSD) in said sample;
- (iii) predicting from the level of 11.beta.-HSD determined the probability of establishing pregnancy in said subject by IVF-ET;
- and
- (iii') fertilising oocytes from those patients whose 11.beta.-HSD activity is below a predetermined threshold level.
A method of screening a female population for their suitability for IVF-ET which comprises:
- (i) screening a population of female subjects seeking treatment for infertility by IVF by determining levels of 11.beta.-HSD in a biological sample from each patient;
- and
- (ii) selecting from the population of those patients who have 11.beta.-HSD levels below a predetermined threshold for IVF-ET treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.