Scientists have developed a novel at-home sperm test capable of assessing male fertility in approximately 15 minutes. This new kit employs the same lateral flow technology used in COVID-19 tests and requires only a single semen sample, allowing men to conduct fertility checks privately without the need for specialist clinic visits.
The development comes at a time of increasing concern regarding male reproductive health. Professor Simone Immler, a professor of Genetics and Reproduction at the University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences, stated that global sperm counts have decreased by more than half over the last 50 years. She attributes this decline to factors including climate change, increased stress, chemical additives in food, obesity, and unhealthy diets.
"Male fertility and reproductive health have been ill-served until now," Professor Immler noted. "One in six couples are affected by fertility issues, of which approximately 50 percent can be assigned to the male partner."
Existing over-the-counter male fertility tests often have limitations, according to Professor Immler. She explained that current lateral flow devices on the market are frequently inaccurate and typically assess only a single factor, such as sperm number or motility. "This in itself is not a good measurement of overall male reproductive health or fertility," she added.
Virilitas Labs, a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia, developed the new test with the goal of providing a more comprehensive picture of male fertility. The test analyzes multiple biomarkers linked to fertility and reproductive health. It is designed to be used in conjunction with a smartphone app that offers users personalized guidance based on their lifestyle and health behaviors. The app also facilitates connections with fertility specialists for users based on their test results.
Dr. Daniel Marcu, an expert in reproductive genetics at UEA, highlighted the accessibility issue for men seeking fertility care. "Men don't engage with fertility care because there is no clear entry point designed for them," he said. "We're building Virilitas to solve that. The combination of our app, home testing kit and tech platform is designed to take users from confusion to action and ultimately into the right clinical support."
The Virilitas team hopes the home test will make fertility assessment easier and more accessible for men. Professor Immler expressed optimism that the product will "start some serious dialogue on this issue and begin to provide people confronting infertility issues with clear guidance and measures of reproductive health that will help, support and signpost them towards resources that can make a difference."
The company is finalizing development and testing of the platform and kit and plans to scale up production with a manufacturer. Discussions are underway with UK and international distributors to ensure the kit is affordable and allows customers to access male fertility assessments without a clinical referral. The final cost of the test has not yet been disclosed.