New deal may benefit IVF couples

Couples having fertility treatment may benefit in the near future from a technology developed by local biotechnology company KODE Biotech Limited, an AUT University partner institution.

The NZ biotech signed an agreement last week with Olso Stock Exchange-listed Danish company MediCult a/s giving them exclusive global rights to KODE Biotech's Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART) applications.

KODE Biotech works in collaboration with the AUT's Biotechnology Research Institute in Auckland.

Their novel technology harmlessly attaches molecules onto cells, ranging from red blood cells to embryos. It has multiple applications in medical therapeutics and diagnostics.

KODE Biotech's Chief Executive Officer Peter Bradley says the partnership between them and Medicult a/s ensures further development and ultimately its conversion into products for ART applications hopefully within four-five years.

"Although several new techniques in recent years have been implemented to increase pregnancy rates through IVF, the chance for a couple to take home a baby after one IVF treatment is still on average only 25 per cent.

"If our early research can be shown to produce favourable outcomes in human clinical trials, this technology will further improve pregnancy and baby-take-home rates," says Mr Bradley.