A Melbourne startup is developing a new wearable device, in partnership with the University of Melbourne and Monash IVF, to help reduce fertility treatment costs and patient pain.
When preparing for egg collection or an embryo transfer, IVF patients rely on their clinician to closely monitor hormone levels to ensure the procedure is timed precisely when progesterone, estradiol and luteinizing hormone levels are optimal, giving the patient the best chance at conception.
Currently blood tests are the primary method of measuring progesterone levels, requiring patients to undergo multiple blood draws at a laboratory during certain stages of their menstrual cycle.
However, this approach has several limitations. For example, if testing falls on a weekend, when most labs are closed, IVF providers are forced to choose a less optimal testing time, potentially affecting treatment precision.
University of Melbourne alumni Edgar Charry and Muhammad Umer, whose partners have lived experience of infertility, created a reproductive health solution by developing a biosensor that can detect progesterone and estradiol levels using fluid found in the skin, rather than in the blood.
Their startup company 'Symex Labs' has partnered with the University of Melbourne to translate their research into a commercial product.
"Previous research shows nearly all hormones that exist in blood, are also present in interstitial fluid," said Symex Labs co-founder Edgar Charry.
"Interstitial fluid is clear fluid just under the skin that sits between cells, delivering nutrients and carrying away waste."
"Our biosensor will eventually be worn as a patch and will work by penetrating the skin using small microneedles to attract progesterone molecules in the patient's interstitial fluid. These molecules will bind to the surface of the probe, generating electrical activity. The technology then translates the electrical activity to progesterone levels, ultimately informing the IVF clinical team if the patient is ready for embryo transfer. This data will be sent directly to the clinic's monitoring system, allowing IVF nurses to review the results and advise the patient."
Monash IVF Research Director, Associate Professor Mark Green said for Monash IVF, the investment in Symex Labs aligns with the company's focus on innovation and improving the patient journey.
"This technology will save patients time and money as they can conveniently wear the patch in the comfort of their own home, resulting in fewer visits to the clinic and fewer painful injections," Associate Professor Mark Green said.
"The biosensor would also be a gamechanger for women living in regional areas, who often have to travel long distances for blood draws."
As the exact amount of progesterone in interstitial fluid is not well understood, Symex Labs is conducting a world-first clinical study at Monash IVF to establish baseline levels by benchmarking them against concentrations measured in blood samples.
Researchers say their hormone tracking technology also has wider clinical applications beyond the IVF sector.
"Our wearable hormone biosensor has strong potential well beyond fertility care, particularly in PCOS management, perimenopause and menopause symptom management, where continuous hormone insight can replace today's indirect, symptom-based tracking," said Symex Labs co-founder Muhammad Umer.
"By integrating directly with consumer health apps, the technology can enable personalised, data-driven management of chronic hormonal conditions and life-stage transitions that currently lack real-time biomarkers."
"For example, if a woman's estrogen is going up and down constantly, that's often a sign that she is getting into that stage, so having access to this health information could help women implement lifestyle changes earlier."
The research has received $2.5 million in funding from the federal government, the University of Melbourne's Genesis fund, Monash IVF, RMIT and Breakthrough Victoria.
The first in-human pilot study is expected to get underway within the next 12 months, with commercialisation plans slated for early 2028.
