People undergoing IVF could soon have a better chance of having a baby thanks to a drug that helps embryos implant in the womb.
A recent trial involving almost 800 women attending 41 fertility clinics across Europe found that the drug 鈥� called nolasiban 鈥� significantly increased the success rate of IVF.
Each participant took a nolasiban pill or a placebo 4 hours before they had an embryo transferred to their womb. Almost 45 per cent of those in the nolasiban group went on to have a baby, compared to 33 per cent in the placebo group.
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The results, which will be presented at the in Denver next week, potentially mark the biggest advance in IVF in 25 years, according to Ernest Loumaye at ObsEva, the company that is developing nolasiban and that funded the research.
Welcoming womb
The drug works by blocking the hormone oxytocin. This increases blood flow to the womb and reduces contractions that can occur during embryo transfer, thereby making it easier for the embryo to implant, says Loumaye.
The initial results are promising but more trials are needed 鈥渂efore we can start getting too excited鈥�, says at IVF Australia. 鈥淚鈥檇 also advise caution until the full experimental details of the latest trial are released,鈥� he says.
Loumaye and his colleagues are planning to launch another trial of nolasiban in 1000 women undergoing IVF later this year. If it鈥檚 successful, the drug could be available by the end of 2020, he says.
