A new pill may help improve the chances of successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) , after a study yielded “promising” results. The drug has a direct effect on the inner lining of the womb and is thought to improve embryo implantation during fertility treatment. The OXO-001 tablet, created by Spanish biotech company Oxolife, has undergone safety checks during pre-clinical trials, which found that it increased women’s chances of becoming pregnant.
The drug was tested in a study involving 96 infertile women aged 40 and under who were receiving fertility treatment – either IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with donor eggs -–at 28 centres across Europe. The women were either given a placebo or OXO-001, which was taken twice a day one menstrual cycle before the embryo transfer, and five weeks after. The study, which was conducted between September 2021 and January 2023, found that “ongoing pregnancy rates” measured 10 weeks after embryo transfer were 46.
3 per cent for patients treated with OXO-001 compared with 35.7 per cent for those given a placebo. The study also found that 42.
6 per cent of patients taking the OXO-001 had a live birth , compared with 35.7 per cent among those taking the placebo. Side effects in the placebo group and the treatment group were similar, with the most common being headaches, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal issues and dizziness – most of which were mild to moderate.
The drug will now be tested in a larger group of wome.
