INVO:  A simple, effective, low-cost technology for Assisted Reproduction. 
R. Frydman and C. Ranoux.

The INVO procedure, based on an innovative device called the INVOcell, is a simple and effective treatment for infertility.  This procedure may be performed at the physician’s office or at a satellite facility of an IVF center.  It consists of promoting the initial stages of the embryo, after oocyte fertilization, by incubation in the INVOcell device placed inside the mother’s vaginal cavity.  The vaginal cavity replaces the complex in-vitro fertilization laboratory.  The purpose of this study is to introduce the specially-designed INVOcell, a device with EC certification.

The INVOcell overcomes the disadvantages of the initial prototype, allows for an easier procedure and permits reproducibility.  The INVO is a proven procedure shown to produce results comparable to those of IVF in comparative studies.  (See more)

More than 800 cycles using INVO have been published in the world with a good pregnancy rate.  The INVO procedure may be performed in the doctor’s office without a big investment in capital equipment.  It is simple, low cost and may be made available almost anywhere.  The INVO provides access to IVF treatment to those couples that could not afford it because of its cost and lack of availability.  The patient’s participation in the early fertilization and embryo development process is an additional psychological benefit that translates into a high level of acceptance.

IVF LITE/INVO

WHY INVO?

• Less costly.
• More accessible
• More natural

INVO Introduction

For countries where the infertile population has no access to conventional IVF because of financial or geographic reasons.
For IVF centers as an alternative form of treatment for infertile couples with no prior access to treatment.
For Ob/Gyn groups located where IVF centers are not available.

UNCARED-FOR INFERTILITY

• 150 million infertile couples in the world (ESHRE 2007)
• 1 million ART cycles in the world
• Less than 5% are treated and, of those that are, the average is 2+ cycles per couple
• More than 99 million infertile couples do not receive care
   
• Reasons:
  • Cost
  • Availability
  • Knowledge
• The same indications as for conventional IVF
• Mild or no ovarian stimulation (<10 follicles)
• Ultrasound-guided aspiration
• INVO fertilization (vaginal incubation)
• Embryo transfer (2 best embryos) 

INVO™ Process

•  Mild ovarian stimulation to produce less than 10 eggs.
• Aspiration is done under mild or no sedation
• Oocytes, semen and culture medium are placed inside de inner chamber of the device
• The inner chamber is placed inside the protective housing.
• The device is placed in the vaginal cavity for three days and held in place by means of a retention system.
• The device is removed and placed in the holding block (patented) where embryos cluster together in a visualization chamber (10 minutes).
• Embryos are observed through the chamber and selected directly from the device before immediate transfer to the patient’s uterine cavity. 

Advantages

•  Similar effectiveness to IVF
• Pregnancies achieved at a lower cost
• Increased geographic accessibility
• Greater involvement by the couple
• A more natural incubation
• Lower risk of laboratory complications
• Less invasive oocyte aspiration procedure

The INVO Procedure:
A Unique Cost Effective
Fertility Treatment Option

What do patients and doctors say?

INVOcell™ and the INVO procedure

“ [The patient’s psychological factors must be taken into consideration.  The acceptance rate of intra-vaginal culture was exceptionally high.  Several couples reported feeling very comfortable with the idea of no physical separation from their embryos as is the case when the culture takes place in the laboratory”.—Sterzik, et al, Human Reproduction,Vol. 4 Supplement, pp. 83–86, 1989

Summary

Bioscience’s INVOcell and the INVO technique will revolutionize the infertility world by bringing fertility treatments within the reach of millions of couples with infertility problems:
Treatment availability regardless of the geographic location.

• Enhanced cost/benefit ratio
• A more natural treatment
• A very effective treatment

INVO

A simpler, low cost, effective
and more natural way
… to have a baby

A NEW ERA AT CECOLFES
LESS ... IS MORE!!
Indeed, natural and semi-natural approaches are SAFER, MORE reliable, MORE effective and LESS COSTLY

Diabetes

Diabetes is at present one of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality in the world.  It is estimated that by 2010 there will be 350 million people afflicted by this disease.  (More information)

ADULT STEM CELL THERAPY FOR DIABETES MELLITUS
Diabetes is at present one of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality in the world.  It is estimated that by 2010 there will be 350 million people afflicted by this disease.
Type I diabetes is caused by a massive destruction of insulin-producing β cells in the pancreas, whereas Type II diabetes is associated with a relative insulin deficiency due to reduced insulin sensitivity.  In both types of diabetes there is impaired β cell function associated with a reduced cell mass.  The primary indicator is hyperglycemia with high HbA1c and C-peptide levels, and an overall decline of the patient’s health.

A wide variety of therapies for the treatment of diabetes have emerged over the past decade, including transplantation of pancreatic islet cells, pancreatic ductal cells, fetal stem cells, embryonic stem cells and even treatments using growth factors and interleukins, among others.  All of these proposed treatments for curing diabetes have problems, including a high incidence of progression of complications, the absence of a sufficient number of donors, immune rejection and immunosuppressive treatments, all of which are obstacles to the improvement of the patient’s quality of life.

The use of autologous stem cells has recently emerged as a better option over all other therapies because of its many advantages. Treatment with autologous stem cell eliminates the problem of immune rejection, not to mention easy access and management.  Morever, since it has been demonstrated that adult stem cells are capable of differentiating to multiple cell lines, it is now possible to use these cells for the treatment of various diseases.  At present there is no clear understanding yet of the mechanism by which adult stem cells improve the tissues, although it has been demonstrated that they promote tissue regeneration, be it through differentiation to the affected tissue type or through the production of endogenous signals.
In the case of diabetes, adult stem cells have been shown to induce the formation of β cell islets in vitro and to stimulate the production of insulin as well.

On the other hand, hyperbaric oxygen has been used for decades in the treatment of ischemic wounds.  More recently, it has been demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases bone marrow activity through the nitric oxide syntase pathway, giving rise to an increase and mobilization of endothelial parent cells.  These parent cells are attracted to sites of localized inflammation by the action of cytokines.  Since in Type II diabetes there is pancreatic inflammation, the goal is to make autologous stem cells and endothelial parent cells migrate to the pancreas and give rise to angiogenesis and the release of factors that promote parent cell differentiation.

Autologous stem cell infusion into the pancreas increases local levels of parent cells, thus potentiating the effects already described for stimulating pancreatic β cell regeneration. Increased β cell islets in turn increase HbA1c and C-peptide levels.  This might lead to a reduced need for insulin and metformin.

AUTOLOGOUS STEM CELL AND HYPERBARIC OXIGEN THERAPY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS.

Colombia, with the team of stem cell researchers at CECOLFES (Dr. Gustavo Márquez, Dr. Carolina Lucena, Dr. Juan Felipe Combaríza and Dr. Lida Quintero), is a pioneer in the implementation of this form of treatment.  The first diabetes treatments have already started after joining the prestigious group of Dr. Camilo Ricordi and the University of Miami Millar School of Medicine for the treatment of diabetes, and receiving approval for the protocols of a multi-centric clinical trial.

Stem cell treatment of diabetes has been made possible thanks to the availability at CECOLFES of our hyperbaric medicine center and stem cell research laboratory.  HBO therapy and stem cell processing both take place at CECOLFES and, in collaboration with the San Jose Hospital angiography team, the n cells are then introduced directly into the pancreas through a femoral catheter.

Early observations in patients with Type II diabetes using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT) together with intra-pancreatic autologous stem cell infusions have shown improved pancreatic β cell function after therapy with substantial reduction in blood sugar, HbA1c and C-peptide levels.

The following is a testimonial of patient F.C. who came from Miami for treatment at our center.

I am always grateful to your affectionate hands, especially when I remember the times you used them to prick my finger for a blood sample.  It still hurts.  The HbA1c went from 9.1 to 7.5 % and blood sugar values 2 hours after breakfast are at 131 and at 150 after meals.  This is the average for this week.  When I wake up in the morning, the value is 113 and, what is even better, the feeling of fatigue has diminished significantly, to the point that after work I go out with my children and run around the lake twice and still feel very energetic after that.  It is amazing what stem cells have done for me.  I am following the diet that Dr. Marquez kindly recommended and I am taking my vitamins.  If you have any doubts about the success of stem cell transplant, you can be reassured because I am living proof that it works, at least in my body.