Diagnostics

MatriceLAB Innove’s activities focus on the role of the immune system in embryo implantation. At the time of embryo transplant, a unique immune reaction takes place in the endometrium. This is an essential reaction to promote adhesion of the embryo and to regulate the invasion of the endometrium by the embryo. Imbalance affecting this reaction is one of the causes of failure to implant, or early miscarriage

Learn more about implantation and the immunity dialogue

The principle

Thanks to work relying on more than 10 years of academic research, we have developed a diagnostic test which analyses several biomarkers.

Identification of immunological markers which are specific to the endometrium during the implantation window allows us to:

• create a profile of uterine receptivity immunological balance
• determine imbalances of this immunological profile which provide understanding of the mechanisms which cause implantation failures (a fault or, on the contrary, a locally excessive immunological activity which can cause failure of an embryo implant)
• best adjust the efforts for future procreation in establishing immunological balance.

The immunological uterine profile for each patient is determined in order to understand the mechanisms which could contribute to implantation failure or a miscarriage. Based on this mechanism, we propose a treatment strategy to physicians which is best-suited to each patient in order to establish immunological balance, and thus favour implantation. Our results are a birth rate of 40%, following application of the proposed treatment, at the next embryo transplant after performing the MatriceLAB test.

To whom is this addressed?

• To women presenting with repeated and unexplained implantation failures after several attempts at IVF/ICSI.
• For women with several unexplained miscarriages
• For couples who wish to use a donation of oocytes and would like to ensure beforehand that they are properly receptive in order to optimise attempts

MatriceLAB Innove is not currently authorised to receive or process samples which are positive for HIV, hepatitis B and C. Immunity analysis of uterine receptivity is unfortunately not available to women with HIV, hepatitis B or C.

In practice

Immune testing for uterine receptivity is done with a biopsy of the endometrium performed classically by your gynaecologist using a Cornier pipette (see FAQ section).

It is important to perform an ultrasound on the day of the biopsy in order to judge thickness and the vascularisation state of the endometrium.

Uterine receptivity testing is done outside of all IVF cycles, classically, during the implantation window (determine the date with your gynaecologist).  We recommend performing it in a mock cycle (oestrogen and progesterone), ideally one week before the start of taking progesterone. The biopsy can be performed during a natural cycle too, 5 to 9 after ovulation (or 7 to 11 days after LH surge or 8 to 12 days after the injection of ovitrelle) while monitoring the luteal phase by dosing the progesterone (> 10mg / ml 48 hours before the biopsy). Nearly 3% of biopsies performed during a natural cycle cannot be tested, because the biopsy was not performed during an implantation window; patients are then requested to have a new biopsy taken.

MatriceLAB Innove sends all the material needed (for immunological testing of uterine receptivity and histological dating) directly to the physician upon request. The material is sent once a week, on Wednesdays.

Several documents must be filled out and/or signed (see foot of this page).
It is essential to take the time to correctly fill in the information in order to prevent any delay in processing tests and to have a custom result.

We remind you that any shipment must contain the negative results of HIV, hepatitis B and C serologies dating back less than one year on the day of the biopsy. These results are essential to justify the non-infectious nature of the shipment and for the analyses to begin.   In the case of patients immunized for hepatitis B results of less than 5 years are admitted.

Samples and documents must be sent to MatriceLAB Innove and to the pathology centre by post in provided envelopes or using a specialised courier for patients with cured hepatitis B. We recommend sending it quickly so that the biopsy arrives in less than 48 hours. We recommend not sending at the end of the week or before the weekend, and to keep the sample (in its package) in the refrigerator in the meantime.

In fewer than 2 weeks after receiving the biopsy, you will receive an invoice by email which states the amount to pay for the tests (see FAQ section). Your results will be sent to you by post within 3 weeks (these deadlines may be extended due to the period of closure of the laboratory or the health crisis : see news on our facebook page) from the time we have received the biopsy or the complete file (provided that payment has been made). Your physician will also receive more detailed notes with recommendations for treatment to put in place for your next IVF/ICSI attempt. We ask you to contact him for all questions relating to interpretation of your tests and the proposed therapeutic strategy.

After the biopsy

We advise waiting two cycles between taking your biopsy and your next IVF/ICSI attempt. In effect, it takes three weeks to obtain biopsy results and, in certain treatment cases, the proposed treatment starts at the end of the cycle before the IVF/ICSI attempt. We recommend, however, starting your next IVF/ICSI attempt within six months following taking of the biopsy. The uterine environment can evolve with your cycles, and we don’t have information beyond nine months to know if the proposed treatment is suitable for your case.

If a local immune imbalance is detected, we advise that your undertake a new test under therapy. The goal of this is to ensure that the proposed treatment functions well, and can be adjusted if needed (see R&D section).

Reason for uterine receptivity immunity test

Below is a table of birth rates following application of therapeutic recommendations proposed by MatriceLAB Innove. The results were obtained from a cohort of 1811 women with embryo implantation failures (no implantation despite a transfer of eight embryos, on average) with their own oocyte or with oocytes donation and in patient with repeat miscarriages.

We found dysregulation of the immune environment in 81.5% of cases. The second table compares the results of patients with immune over-reaction who had conducted an attempt directly after their result as compared to those with immune over-reaction who, before another attempt, verified the efficacy of treatment (in having a biopsy with the proposed treatment). For the latter group, the treatment could be modified based on the results of their second biopsy (see R&D section).

Immune deregulation

Patients with immune over-activation