Today, Celmatix, a next-generation women's health company, has announced a commercial agreement with Oncotest-Teva Ltd, a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA) in Israel to bring the Fertilome test, the world's first multigene panel test for a woman's reproductive health and fertility, to the Israeli market. This partnership, which brings together two pioneers in the field of personalized medicine, represents the first strategic international collaboration for Celmatix and will make the Fertilome genetic test widely available to women through their doctors in Israel.
Among developed nations across the globe, women are waiting longer to start building their families, leading to a worldwide surge in the use of assisted reproductive technologies including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and cryopreservation. In Israel, a country with 1.7 million women of reproductive age, the impact of this demographic shift is stark: Today, more than four percent of babies born to Israeli mothers each year result from IVF treatments, compared to approximately one percent in the U.S.
However, the insights that lead women to pursue fertility treatment have, to date, been limited. With the Fertilome test, Celmatix is ushering in a new era of personalized medicine in reproductive health. With this collaboration, the company is taking that movement global. A simple blood test ordered by a doctor, the Fertilome test can empower women to be more proactive about their family building by revealing whether they have genetic markers that have been associated with fertility-affecting conditions such as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
"Israel is considered the IVF capital of the world, with more cycles reported per capita than any other country," said Lior Soussan-Gutman Ph.D., Oncotest-Teva Managing Director. "By gaining an early understanding of their risk of developing conditions that could affect their fertility and reproductive health with the Fertilome test, women in Israel can make more informed choices that may ultimately improve their own outcomes, either by trying on their own or pursuing treatment sooner than they may have otherwise."
"This is a watershed moment for the global reach of the personalized medicine revolution in women's reproductive health," said Piraye Yurttas Beim Ph.D., founder and CEO of Celmatix. "Israel's unique position as a global leader in IVF makes it an ideal market for the first international expansion of the Fertilome test, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have as women and their doctors make decisions informed by genomic insights."
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