New Merck Technology Aims to Further Optimize Embryo Incubation and Assessment

DARMSTADT, Germany, March 10, 2017 /CNW/ -

• Merck integrates innovative Eeva^® Test with Geri™ incubation platform, bringing individualized incubation and outcome prediction together 
• Geri™ humidity technology aims to further advance incubation to precisely monitor and manage the humidity level in the incubator  

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the release of two advanced Fertility Technologies products for improved efficiency in the assisted reproductive treatment (ART) lab, Eeva^® Test 3.0 and Geri™ humidified incubation. These first-in-class technologies will provide embryologists with in-depth information and control over the environment in which the embryo grows to support healthy embryo development and assessment.

"We believe Merck fertility technologies can accelerate clinics toward a new standard for ART success," said Rehan Verjee, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer of biopharma business at Merck. "Since 2014 we've launched 28 products in five product groups, providing new, state-of-the-art solutions that advance fertility care."

The Eeva^® Test 3.0 software supports embryo assessment within the ART lab, using the established Xtend Algorithm. ART labs can now use this algorithm with the Genea Biomedx-developed Geri™+ incubator, integrating bright-and-dark-field imaging together with Merck's proprietary software suite, Geri™ Connect, Geri™ Assess. The combination of the Eeva^® Test 3.0 with the Geri™ incubator enables, for the first time, the application of the clinically proven assessment algorithm of the Eeva^® Test to support outcome prediction with individualized incubation.

Geri™, ideated and created by Australian fertility technologies company Genea Biomedx, has a broad range of additional modular features available that can be selected by clinics to optimize culture conditions based on their needs. Continually evolving, this unique offering now includes a specially designed humidifier in addition to established features like Geri™ Connect, Geri™ Assess or Geri™+. The specially designed humidifier allows ART specialists to precisely monitor and manage the humidity level in the incubator. Geri™ is able to both monitor progress of embryo development through a real-time camera and provide humidified incubation in individual chambers, thus providing embryologists with more control to nurture embryo incubation and development.

Merck's ability to launch numerous technologies in the last two years is a result of the company's strategy to combine market-leading drug treatments for patients with breakthrough technologies tailored to the specific needs of the ART lab. Combining the Eeva^® Test and the Geri™ platform demonstrates Merck's commitment to facilitating the connectivity between products, such as the integration of these technologies, to leverage the data generated, thus creating more informed decision making within the ART lab.

About Geri^[TM]

Geri^™ is a benchtop incubator with individually controlled incubation chambers per patient to minimize disruptive events to the early-stage embryo. It also incorporates a camera to real time monitor the developing embryos. Integrating bright- and dark-field imaging, the Geri^[TM]+ incubator allows for combination with the Eeva^® Test software. The Geri™ Connect software allows the monitoring of embryos in real time through remote access to patient and embryo data connected on the same network, while the Geri™ Assess software is a user-defined scoring software used to assess and grade embryos on their viability. As additional modular feature the portfolio includes a specially designed humidifier, which allows ART specialists to precisely monitor and manage the humidity level in the incubator.

Geri™ was developed by Genea Biomedx, a company that creates and manufactures practical, accessible and precise fertility technologies that help standardize and automate fertility treatment.

About the Eeva^® Test 

The non-invasive Early Embryo Viability Assessment (Eeva^®) Test when used adjunctively with traditional morphology may improve IVF outcomes by providing IVF clinicians and patients with objective information on embryo viability. The Eeva^® Test utilizes proprietary software that automatically analyzes embryo development against scientifically and clinically validated parameters. Its key features include a multi-dimensional model for assessing and predicting the development of embryos based on five key parameters including egg age, cell stage durations of P2 and P3, post P3 analysis, and cell count. With the Eeva^® Test's quantitative data on each embryo's potential development, IVF clinicians can improve the treatment path for their patients undergoing IVF procedures.

Progyny Inc. granted Merck global marketing and commercialization rights for the Progyny Eeva^{[® ]}Test software offering, aiming to provide customers worldwide with innovative fertility technology solution. This new collaboration builds on the successful relationship between both leaders in fertility technologies, first established in 2010.

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About Merck 

Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2016, Merck generated sales of € 15.0 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/472778/Merck_Logo.jpg )

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/477184/Merck_Eeva_Test_3_0.jpg )

SOURCE Merck

Dr. Raphaela Farrenkopf, [phone]