Switzerland develops new reproductive support techniques

Anecova Biotechnology Company in Geneva (Switzerland) is currently testing a new reproductive support method that allows the replacement of a test tube by fertilizing an osmotic capsule in the mother's uterus.

The first clinical trials being carried out at the Ziekenhuis Institute of Vrije University (Brussels) have yielded promising results.

Embryos are placed inside tiny capsules that grow in the future mother's womb instead of in the test tube. Capsules containing human embryos have a diameter of less than 1mm. It consists of hundreds of tiny holes a few tens of micrometres in size to facilitate the delivery to the surrounding environment.

Anecova hopes to launch this technical market in 2008, mainly in Europe, the US, Japan and China.