Evaluating the Utility of Implementing Microfluids for Sperm Preparation Compared to Conventional Method of Density Gradient Centrifugation in a PGT-A Program: a Sibling Oocyte Study

NCT ID: NCT07093619

Last Updated: 2025-10-02

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-09-12

Study Completion Date

2026-12-30

Brief Summary

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In assisted reproductive technology (ART), sperm preparation aims to select the most viable sperm for ICSI. Unlike conventional methods like density gradients or sperm washing, microfluidic techniques mimic natural selection in the female reproductive tract by using laminar flow without centrifugation, reducing the risk of DNA damage. This method isolates highly motile sperm while filtering out debris and immotile cells. Studies show that microfluidics improve embryo quality, increase pregnancy rates, and may lead to higher euploidy rates. Additional benefits include improved safety, scalability, and shorter preparation times.

Detailed Description

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In assisted reproductive technology (ART), the aim of sperm preparation is to select competent spermatozoa with the highest fertilization potential to be used for insemination by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This makes the process of selecting sperm highly important. Several methods have been developed to mimic some of the natural selection processes that exist in the female reproductive tract. Compared to the conventional sperm preparation techniques such as density gradient or sperm wash, microfluids can select sperm by controlling fluid dynamics within millimeter diameter capillaries in two parallel laminar flow channels, mimicking what potentially sperm experiment in the female genital tract without using centrifuge which can cause DNA sperm fragmentation. Hence, this technique could select spermatozoa with increased motility since motile spermatozoa can move through the flows and be eluted separately, while the debris and immotile cells are passively transported from the entrance to the exit of the capillary canal. There is scientific evidence that for couples undergoing ICSI, the spermatozoa that were selected by using microfluids resulted in a better-quality embryo which leaded to higher pregnancy outcomes. Also, literature suggest that euploidy rates of embryos obtained using microfluids are higher that using conventional sperm sample preparation. Among the advantages that microfluidics certainly offer are, safety, scalability and reduction sperm samples preparation times.

Conditions

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Semen Analysis ICSI PGT-A

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

50% microfluids group and 50% gradient group
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Sperm Source obtained by microfluids

Group Type OTHER

FERTILE Plus

Intervention Type DEVICE

The FERTILE PLUS™ method is a standardized method with an easy-to-follow protocol that is far less dependent on the skill or experience of the embryologist than other methods, such as density gradients. The FERTILE PLUS™ (850 µL) Sperm Sorting Chip is a single-use, flow-free, dual chambered, microfluidic-based sperm sorting device. FERTILE PLUS™ was previously known as Zymot, prior to a name change by the manufacturer. The lower chamber contains a sample inlet and fluid channel separated from the upper collection chamber by a microporous membrane with 8-μm pores, demonstrated as the optimal size for selection of sperm with higher motility and normal morphology \[18\].

Sperm Source obtained by gradients

Group Type OTHER

FERTILE Plus

Intervention Type DEVICE

The FERTILE PLUS™ method is a standardized method with an easy-to-follow protocol that is far less dependent on the skill or experience of the embryologist than other methods, such as density gradients. The FERTILE PLUS™ (850 µL) Sperm Sorting Chip is a single-use, flow-free, dual chambered, microfluidic-based sperm sorting device. FERTILE PLUS™ was previously known as Zymot, prior to a name change by the manufacturer. The lower chamber contains a sample inlet and fluid channel separated from the upper collection chamber by a microporous membrane with 8-μm pores, demonstrated as the optimal size for selection of sperm with higher motility and normal morphology \[18\].

Interventions

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FERTILE Plus

The FERTILE PLUS™ method is a standardized method with an easy-to-follow protocol that is far less dependent on the skill or experience of the embryologist than other methods, such as density gradients. The FERTILE PLUS™ (850 µL) Sperm Sorting Chip is a single-use, flow-free, dual chambered, microfluidic-based sperm sorting device. FERTILE PLUS™ was previously known as Zymot, prior to a name change by the manufacturer. The lower chamber contains a sample inlet and fluid channel separated from the upper collection chamber by a microporous membrane with 8-μm pores, demonstrated as the optimal size for selection of sperm with higher motility and normal morphology \[18\].

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Women with at least 8 MII per cycle after denudation (AFC≥8).
2. Women of all ages.
3. All embryo qualities ≥BL3CC at the time of biopsy on day 5, 6 and/or 7.
4. Fresh sperm used from ejaculate with a concentration ≥1 mill/ml and ≥10% motility (A+B).
5. Sperm samples with a minimum of 2 ml.

Exclusion Criteria

* Frozen oocytes samples with severe oligospermia (≤1mill/ml).
* PGT-M cases
* Sperm with \> 1M/ml of round cells
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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ART Fertility Clinics LLC

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Andrea Abdala

Senior Clinical Embryologist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Barbara Lawrenz

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

ART Fertility Clinics LLC

Locations

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ART Fertility Clinics LLC

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United Arab Emirates

Central Contacts

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Jonalyn Edades, Research Coordinator

Role: CONTACT

+97126528000

Barbara Lawrenz, Research Director

Role: CONTACT

+97126528000

Facility Contacts

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Jonalyn Edades, Research Coordinator

Role: primary

+97126528000

Barbara Lawrenz, Research Director

Role: backup

References

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Chinnasamy T, Behr B, Demirci U. Microfuidic sperm sorting device for selection of functional human sperm for IUI application. Fertil Steril. 2016;105:e17-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertn stert.2015.12.063.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Heydari A, Zabetian Targhi M, Halvaei I, Nosrati R. A novel microfluidic device with parallel channels for sperm separation using spermatozoa intrinsic behaviors. Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 21;13(1):1185. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-28315-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36681743 (View on PubMed)

Huang CH, Chen CH, Huang TK, Lu F, Jen Huang JY, Li BR. Design of a gradient-rheotaxis microfluidic chip for sorting of high-quality Sperm with progressive motility. iScience. 2023 Jul 17;26(8):107356. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107356. eCollection 2023 Aug 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37559897 (View on PubMed)

Fang Y, Wu R, Lee JM, Chan LHM, Chan KYJ. Microfuidic invitro fertilization technologies: transforming the future of human reproduction. TrAC Trends Anal Chem. 2023;160:116959. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.116959.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Bastuba M, Cohen M, Bastuba A, Campbell P. Microfluidic sperm separation device dramatically lowers DFI. Fertil Steril. 2020;113(4, Supplement):E44 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.02.096.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Leung ETY, Lee CL, Tian X, Lam KKW, Li RHW, Ng EHY, Yeung WSB, Chiu PCN. Simulating nature in sperm selection for assisted reproduction. Nat Rev Urol. 2022 Jan;19(1):16-36. doi: 10.1038/s41585-021-00530-9. Epub 2021 Nov 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34741158 (View on PubMed)

Quinn MM, Jalalian L, Ribeiro S, Ona K, Demirci U, Cedars MI, Rosen MP. Microfluidic sorting selects sperm for clinical use with reduced DNA damage compared to density gradient centrifugation with swim-up in split semen samples. Hum Reprod. 2018 Aug 1;33(8):1388-1393. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dey239.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30007319 (View on PubMed)

Whitesides GM. The origins and the future of microfluidics. Nature. 2006 Jul 27;442(7101):368-73. doi: 10.1038/nature05058.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16871203 (View on PubMed)

Vaughan DA, Sakkas D. Sperm selection methods in the 21st century. Biol Reprod. 2019 Dec 24;101(6):1076-1082. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioz032.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30801632 (View on PubMed)

ESHRE Guideline Group on Good Practice in IVF Labs; De los Santos MJ, Apter S, Coticchio G, Debrock S, Lundin K, Plancha CE, Prados F, Rienzi L, Verheyen G, Woodward B, Vermeulen N. Revised guidelines for good practice in IVF laboratories (2015). Hum Reprod. 2016 Apr;31(4):685-6. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dew016. Epub 2016 Feb 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26908842 (View on PubMed)

Vander Borght M, Wyns C. Fertility and infertility: Definition and epidemiology. Clin Biochem. 2018 Dec;62:2-10. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2018.03.012. Epub 2018 Mar 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29555319 (View on PubMed)

CDC. 2016-National Summary Report-Assisted Reproductive Technology; US Department of Health. Human Service: Washington, DC, USA, 2018.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

De Munck N, El Khatib I, Abdala A, El-Damen A, Bayram A, Arnanz A, Melado L, Lawrenz B, Fatemi HM. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is not superior to conventional IVF in couples with non-male factor infertility and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A). Hum Reprod. 2020 Feb 29;35(2):317-327. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deaa002.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32086522 (View on PubMed)

Lara-Cerrillo S, Raquel Jimenez Macedo A, Hortal O, Rosado Iglesias C, Lacruz Ruiz T, Carrera J, Garcia Peiro A. Impact of Microfluidic Sperm Sorting on Embryonic Euploidy in Infertile Patients with Sperm DNA Damage: A Retrospective Study. Int J Fertil Steril. 2024 Oct 30;18(4):417-423. doi: 10.22074/ijfs.2024.2007775.1499.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39564835 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2504-ABU-011-AAb

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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