IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,207,802
Granted Patent B2
US 12,207,802 · App. 18/214,726 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Devices and methods for semen analysis

Inventors: Daniel Thomas (Lyons, FR); Mohamed Hamza (Lyons, FR); Fanny Chesa (Castries, FR)
Assignee: Nanovare SAS
A61B10/0058B01L3/502715B01L3/50273G01N15/1434G01N33/487B01L2300/023B01L2300/0627B01L2300/0654B01L2300/168B01L2400/0475G01N2800/367
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,207,802
App. No.
18/214,726
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided herein are devices and methods for analysis of male fertility. The invention provides self-contained, hand-held receptacles and systems for collection and analysis of semen samples and methods of using such devices to analyze semen samples. Also provided are processor-implemented and machine learning methods of analyzing semen sample data obtained using devices of the invention.

Claims (24)

1. A device for semen analysis, the device comprising:

a receptacle for collection of a semen sample, the receptacle comprising:

a macrofluidic chamber comprising a chamber opening dimensioned to accommodate at least a tip of a penis, wherein the chamber opening fluidically connects the chamber with an exterior of the receptacle; and

a microfluidic element integrated into the receptacle and directly fluidically downstream from the macrofluidic chamber, wherein the microfluidic element is in fluidic communication with an interior of the macrofluidic chamber such that the microfluidic element receives a portion of the semen sample from within the macrofluidic chamber; and

an analytical device comprising an optical device positioned to analyze a portion of the semen sample in the microfluidic element to determine one or more of sperm number, sperm morphology, and sperm motility of the semen sample.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the chamber opening is dimensioned such that there is an air gap between the penis and the chamber opening.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is configured to be held in a hand of a user.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the chamber opening comprises an elastomeric material.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, plastic, and rubber.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the macrofluidic fluidic chamber comprises a reflective coating.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the macrofluidic fluidic chamber comprises a coating that prevents the semen sample from adhering to one or more walls of the macrofluidic fluidic chamber.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a removable lid to cover the chamber opening.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to receive optical data from the optical device.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the one or more of sperm number, sperm morphology, and sperm motility of the semen sample.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein determination of sperm morphology comprises an optical analysis of one or more of head size, head shape, midpiece shape, midpiece size, tail shape, tail size, duplicate forms, and cytoplasmic droplets.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit one or more of the sperm number, the sperm morphology, and the sperm motility information of the semen sample to a remote device.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the receptacle is removable from the optical element and the processor.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is removable from the analytical device.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the optical device comprises:

a light source; and

at least one optical fiber configured to transmit light from the light source to the receptacle.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein an interior surface of the receptacle comprises a reflective coating that reflects light from the lighting system to the portion of the semen sample analyzed by the optical device.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic element and macrofluidic chamber are separated by a valve, wherein the valve is operable to open or close the fluidic connection between the microfluidic element and macrofluidic fluidic chamber.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic element further comprises a detection zone dimensioned to accommodate a known volume of the semen sample, wherein a number of sperm cells counted therein is extrapolated to determine the sperm number of the semen sample.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: THOMAS, DANIEL; HAMZA, MOHAMED; CHESA, FANNY
To: NANOVARE SAS
Reel/Frame 064091/0645 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16650032
Related Publication 20230404547A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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