New 2026 Clinical Trials

New 2026 Clinical Trials Blog Post 

By Dr. Sonia Gayete-Lafuente, Fertility Specialist Physician-Scientist at CHR, New York 

The Center for Human Reproduction recently launched five new 2026 Clinical Trials, powered by the not-for-profit arm, the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine. These new trials reflect an ongoing mission of always bringing the most advanced science directly to patients and integrating the most innovative approaches in research into our treatments here. 

Every study presented is already IRB-approved, fully registered, based on the latest advances in the field, and ready to be delivered in real-world care, so that patients have direct access to some of the most promising fertility treatments available anywhere. 

With these new clinical trials, we are investigating: 

• Biologic treatments aimed at improving AFC and ovarian response in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). We are starting two new randomized clinical trials aimed to improve oocyte yield in this patient population, respectively exploring ovarian priming with microdoses of hCG and with G-CSF prior to IVF; 
• Interventions on key molecular pathways to help improve oocyte and ultimately embryo quality, specifically via mTOR pathway inhibition using sirolimus, commonly known as rapamycin, and aimed at improving embryo quality in women with history of poor egg competence; 
• New dietary supplements addressing male factor infertility, aimed to address cases of very poor sperm quality; 
• Integration of hereditary cancer gene screening into routine pre-IVF evaluations. 

Every protocol we offer has been board-reviewed and approved, ensuring the highest standards of safety and scientific integrity.  

Project 1: hCG Ovarian Priming in Women with DOR   

LH hormone plays an important role in ovarian follicle development and is the hormone that ultimately triggers final egg maturation and ovulation. Interestingly, hCG activates the same LH receptor, and that is why it is commonly used in fertility treatment as a trigger in high doses.  

Now, in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we’re studying whether pretreatment with microdoses of hCG can help achieve a better ovarian response to IVF cycles, and obtain a larger number of eggs retrieved, compared with placebo. This is especially important for women over age 35 with DOR, where traditional approaches often have limited success, and where every egg really matters. We will also be monitoring AMH throughout the study, as it may increase! 

Project 2: G-CSF Ovarian Priming for DOR  

This is another important RCT aimed at improving egg yield in women with DOR.  

G-CSF (which stands for and commercialized as Neupogen, Nyvestim or Zarxio) is a medication used for patients with low counts of white blood cells in certain medical fields. Due to this role on the immune cells, G-CSF has been used off-label in fertility care for a few years, including for recurrent miscarriage and implantation failure, with generally well-known and limited side effects. 

In this study, participants are randomized to receive 5 subcutaneous injections of either G-CSF or placebo during the luteal phase before ovarian stimulation, as an ovarian priming, followed by an IVF cycle. The goal is to evaluate whether this approach can improve ovarian response, and potentially increase the number of eggs retrieved, by supporting early follicle development.  

Project 3: Sirolimus (Rapamycin) Priming to Improve Embryo Quality  

You may have heard of Sirolimus or Rapamycin, as it has been very trendy within the fertility innovation talks lately. Rapamycin is a medication that targets the mTOR molecular pathway and seems like it can improve the environment in which eggs develop.  

We’re studying whether a short course of sirolimus during ovarian priming can improve egg and embryo quality. Therefore, this strategy is aimed at enhancing egg quality rather than quantity, and eligible participants are women with history of very poor embryo quality despite a normal ovarian reserve. 

In this trial, we will be freezing all obtained embryos instead of transferring them fresh, given that the FDA recommends staying off sirolimus once getting pregnant, hence we will be attempting to conceive in a subsequent cycle. 

Project 4: MENPAT Dietary Supplement for Male Infertility  

This is a clinical trial focused on improving male fertility. Eligible men are those with very poor sperm quality (with low counts, low motility and poor morphology in the semen analysis).  

This study evaluates the benefits of a targeted dietary supplement called MENPAT on sperm quality. Participants will take MENPAT for over 90 days -which reflects a full sperm development cycle- and we’ll be measuring changes in sperm quality parameters before and after supplementation. Male factor infertility contributes to up to half of all infertility cases, and if we can identify a non-invasive way to improve sperm quality, particularly in the most severe cases, the potential impact could be substantial. 

Project 5: Hereditary cancer genetic screening into IVF care  

Lastly, with this observational study we’re expanding how we approach fertility care through integrated precision medicine through genetics. It has been shown that certain cancer-associated mutations, such as BRCA variants, are associated with DOR, a condition we frequently encounter in our infertility population. For this reason, we felt it would be worthwhile to start incorporating hereditary cancer genetic screening into routine pre-IVF evaluations. 

Among other benefits of early cancer screening, by studying genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, we can better understand a patient’s reproductive potential. Most importantly, this allows us to connect fertility care with broader health planning, including egg/embryo freezing and long-term cancer risk management in cases where it’s needed. 

Ultimately, all of this work comes back to one goal: giving patients the best possible chance to build the families they’ve been hoping for. Through these clinical trials and all the ongoing research (powered by the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine) integrated into our daily clinical practice, our team continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, advocating for individualized care ethically and safely. 

If you’re interested in learning more about our new research trials or the mission of the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine, additional information is available, and questions are always welcome.