Inherent Biosciences Announces Podium Presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2022 Congress & Expo
Salt Lake City, Utah — Inherent Biosciences, a biotechnology company pioneering epigenetic medicine, today announced their Podium Presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2022 Congress & Expo.
Details of the podium presentation are as follows:
Discovery of an epigenetic biomarker predictive of male infertility
Kristin Brogaard, PhD, Inherent Biosciences Chief Scientific Officer
Objective: The standard semen evaluation is the primary tool for the assessment of fertility potential. However, the semen analysis provides only a superficial analysis of a man’s fertility potential. The optimization of the biomarker described here from over 1300 semen samples may improve the current standard of care and support more personalized and effective treatment plans for couples.
Materials and Methods: 60 fertile controls were used to identify the most epigenetically stable gene promoters in sperm. A stability threshold for each promoter in the genome was calculated and the most stable promoters were defined as the top 10th percentile of promoters with the lowest stability thresholds. Phase 2 of this study analyzed the DNA methylation pattern in sperm from 1331 men trying to conceive. For each semen sample the number of dysregulated promoters were counted. We defined a dysregulated promoter as a promoter that fell above a promoter stability threshold. Analysis of pregnancy rates, live rates, and corresponding semen parameters were analyzed.
Results: Three classes of patients emerged in our cohort of 1331 men based on the number of dysregulated promoters: Excellent, Poor, and Average sperm quality. In a blinded analysis there was a significant difference in pregnancy and live birth rates of men undergoing IUI between men in Poor and Excellent (p=0.0009***) and Poor and Average (p=0.0072**). In an average of 2.5 IUI cycles, men with Poor sperm quality had a 15.1% live birth rate versus 43.6% live birth rate in men with Excellent sperm quality. Interestingly, when men underwent IVF, there was no significant difference in pregnancy and live birth rates (p=0.811). Also, 80.4% of men with Poor sperm quality had normal sperm concentration and total motile count (TMC). Finally we found that the addition of age and total motile count improved our algorithm. Men with Poor sperm quality and low TMC had the lowest live birth rate while men with Excellent sperm quality and normal total motile count had the highest live birth rate.
Conclusions: Here we show a statistically significant correlation between the number of dysregulated promoters in sperm and live birth rates in men undergoing IUI but not in IVF, suggesting that the lower sperm quality can be overcome with IVF. Additionally, when incorporating age and TMC with the DNA methylation biomarker, the results become more refined.
Impact Statement: After analysis of over 1300 semen samples, we introduce the discovery of an epigenetic biomarker that is predictive of sperm quality that when combined with the semen analysis support better treatment guidance and precision fertility care.
About Inherent Biosciences
Inherent Biosciences, Inc. is a biotechnology company pioneering epigenetic medicine for complex diseases. Gene dysregulation, a hallmark of complex disease, has been difficult to detect and treat, until now. The company’s epigenetic platform detects dysregulation across multiple genes and related pathways to pioneer a new category of diagnostics and therapeutics that leverage epigenetics, biology’s inherent mechanism for gene regulation, to radically transform how we diagnose and treat complex diseases like infertility.
Connect with us on LinkedIn.
