A NEW PILL could help boost the odds of successful IVF treatment, scientists say. Initial trials showed "promising" results, with researchers saying the drug could lead to a 7 per cent increase in live births. Researchers set out to test whether the drug - which is designed to act directly on the inner lining of the womb - can improve the implantation process during fertility treatment, making the womb more receptive to the embryo.
The pill, known as OXO-001 and created by Spanish biotech company Oxolife, is the first of its kind and had already gone through safety checks in early studies - known as pre-clinical trials. Oxolife didn't give specifics on the the pill works, only saying that it “enables the expression of key molecules that allow the embryo to stop rolling [across the womb’s surface], to invade and complete implantation”. The new study found that the tablet boosted women's odds of getting pregnant.
Oxolife chief executive Dr Agnes Arbat said: "Most rounds of IVF or ICSI still end in failure - many because a viable embryo does not implant. "A simple-to-take pill that materially improves the chance of success would therefore be of huge benefit to those who want a baby. "This proof-of-concept phase two study shows that hope is now a step closer.
" Ninety-six 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 were enrolled in the study between Septem.
