Vitrolife Products For Cold Storage Of Embryos Approved In USA

Main Category: Fertility
Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals
Article Date: 08 Dec 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Vitrolife (STO:VITR) is now the first company to have received approval from the American Food and Drug Administration for products within the fertility area used for the rapid freezing and thawing of cleavage embryos (embryos on day 3 after fertilization), so-called vitrification.

The two vitrification products that Vitrolife has obtained approval for are RapidVit™ Cleave och RapidWarm™ Cleave. "These are two very important products for us, as the majority of the clinics that freeze embryos do so at the very stage that the products are intended for, day 3 after fertilization" says Nils Sellbom, Director of Marketing and Sales at Vitrolife.

The two products, and two further vitrification products, RapidVit™ Blast och RapidWarm™ Blast (for rapid freezing and thawing of blastocysts, embryos on days 5-7 after fertilization), have already been approved in Europe and Canada.

Products for vitrification involve considerable technological progress since survival increases after cold storage. The chance of achieving a good cumulative pregnancy frequency thereby increases for the woman, without her having to undergo new hormone treatment and the removal of more oocytes.

Vitrolife is a global biotechnology/medical device Group that works with developing, manufacturing and selling advanced products and systems for the preparation, cultivation and storage of human cells, tissue and organs. The company has business activities within three product areas: Fertility, Transplantation and Stem Cell Cultivation. The Fertility product area works with nutrient solutions (media) and advanced consumable instruments such as needles and pipettes, for the treatment of human infertility. The Transplantation product area works with solutions and systems to maintain tissue in optimal condition outside the body for the required time while waiting for transplantation. The Stem Cell Cultivation product area works with media and instruments to enable the use and handling of stem cells for therapeutic purposes.

Vitrolife today has approximately 140 employees and the company's products are sold in more than 80 markets. The head office is in Gothernburg, Sweden, and there are subsidiaries in USA, Australia and Italy. The Vitrolife share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm's Nordic Small Cap list.

http://www.vitrolife.com