Soluble CD146 Biomarker for Embryo Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current IVF technologies face challenges in accurately assessing embryo implantation potential, leading to high failure rates and multiple pregnancy risks due to reliance on morphological criteria, which are not strictly correlated with viability and implantation potential.

Innovation Solution

The use of soluble CD146 (sCD146) as a biomarker in embryo culture media to identify embryos with high implantation potential, allowing for the selection of a single embryo with the greatest potential for successful implantation, thereby reducing multiple pregnancy risks and enhancing pregnancy chances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple embryos are transferred to enhance pregnancy chances, then pregnancy rate is improved, but risk of multiple pregnancies increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepregnancy rateVSAvoidmultiple pregnancy risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by measuring sCD146 biomarker levels in embryo culture medium before transfer to predict implantation potential. This allows the selection of a single embryo with high implantation potential in advance, enabling single-embryo transfer to achieve pregnancy rates comparable to or exceeding multiple embryo transfer while avoiding multiple pregnancy risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If morphological criteria are used to assess embryo quality, then evaluation is simplified, but accuracy of implantation potential prediction deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveembryo evaluation simplicityVSAvoidimplantation potential assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces sCD146 as an intermediary biomarker that mediates between simple liquid medium analysis and accurate implantation potential prediction. By measuring sCD146 levels in the culture medium rather than directly assessing complex embryo morphology, the method achieves high predictive accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through standard biochemical assays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/visual assessment system (microscopic morphological evaluation) with a biochemical detection system (sCD146 measurement in culture medium). This substitution provides more accurate and objective prediction of implantation potential while simplifying the evaluation process through quantitative biomarker analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10809269B2Use of soluble CD146 as a biomarker to select in vitro-fertilized embryo for implantation in a mammal

Publication Date: 2020.10.20 CENT HOSPITALER UNIV DE NIMES

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of human fertility treatment. The present invention more specifically relates to the identification of soluble CD146 (sCD146) as a biomarker which, when measured in an embryo culture medium, can be used to determine whether the embryo can be selected for implantation in the uterus of a mammal or not. The present invention thus provides a new tool and related kits to (pre)select embryo eligible for implantation. The invention also relates to methods for promoting pregnancy in a human who undergoes embryo transfer.