The Basque Biorregion has continued its expansion with the creation of Embryomics, a new biotechnology company specialising in the non-invasive diagnosis of chromosome anomalies in developing embryos. This diagnosis is carried out by means of a technique that enhances and simplifies pre-implant analyses (conducted prior to the implanting of embryos in the uterus) that aim to determine the viability of embryos in assisted reproduction treatments. As a result of this major advance on previous diagnosis methods, embryo biopsies no longer need to be carried out, thus reducing the costs of the process.

Embryomics is the result of cooperation between the Valencian Infertility Institute (IVI), the Basque company OWL Genomics, which specialises in the development of diagnosis systems based on metabolomics, and the venture capital company Cross Road Biotech (CRB).

Embryomics will operate out of the Biokabi bioincubator at the Bizkaia Technology Park and will also receive the support of the Biosciences Cooperative Research Centre, CIC bioGUNE, whose general manager, Dr José M Mato, has been involved in the project since its inception.

Carlos Simón, the Chairman of Embryomics and the Scientific Director of the IVI Foundation said, “This is a company that is pioneering a non-invasive diagnosis technique that will help bring about significant improvements in assisted reproduction treatments and which also provides a link between the extensive work carried out by the IVI (the leading assisted reproduction group in Spain and the second in the world) and the revolutionary analysis technology to which OWL Genomics has access, not to mention the broad experience of Cross Road Biotech in the development of successful biotechnology companies.”

Embryomics will use the latest metabolomic technologies to identify and diagnose chromosome anomalies in embryos, analysing the liquid they are cultivated in without the need for biopsies. This technique is less aggressive on the embryo than the techniques used to date in pre-implant analyses.