A new test panel is now available for women with unexplained infertility, including endometriosis, a key cause of infertility.
The ReceptivaDx test, developed and commercialized by CiceroDx, aims to help in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers and other healthcare providers in identifying obstacles to implantation. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine says that endometriosis is associated with up to 50 percent of all cases of unexplained infertility.
The ReceptivaDx Test is performed on an endometrial biopsy sample, a routine procedure that can be performed during an office visit to a specialist physician.
Once collected, the sample biopsies are sent to a lab, where they are examined by a pathology team. ReceptivaDx costs $790; results are available in three to five days. The test is offered in more than 75 IVF centers across the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America.
The test examines the levels of BCL6, a marker for endometriosis. If the BCL6 marker is elevated in a sample taken from an endometrial biopsy, the patient’s inability to become pregnant is likely due to undetected endometriosis interfering with the ability of a fertilized egg to implant.
If BCL6 tests positive, patients may undergo a treatment plan with hormone therapy or laparoscopy surgery to remove visible endometriosis lesions. According to Cicero, evidence from recent studies has shown that women undergoing two months of hormone therapy have shown great progress in getting pregnant.
Early detection of endometriosis with the use of this test can help guide treatment for IVF centers, ensuring higher success rates and alleviating the financial and emotional burden of a family attempting to conceive.
“As one of the early adopters of the ReceptivaDx test, our experience has exceeded my expectations,” Aimee Evazzadeh, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, said in a press release. “We can now identify and treat women with early endometriosis who might have gone undetected before. For our patients, this has led to improved success rates, reduced costs and the avoidance of multiple IVF cycles.”
“Our mission at CiceroDx is to ensure we deliver the most accurate and cost-effective diagnostic tools for doctors and families looking for answers to unexplained infertility and implantation failure,” said Chris Jackson, CEO of CiceroDx. “Helping resolve infertility issues is just the first step. Our goal is to help clinicians better detect endometriosis in the millions of women who suffer from this silent epidemic every day.”