Xenofocus Proves Antioxidant Enzyme SOD Improves Reproductive Function in Infertility Patients

Genofocus announced on the 6th that through its new drug development subsidiary Biomlogic, it confirmed the reproductive function improvement effect of GF antioxidant enzyme (SOD) on infertility patients in a human application trial conducted at the Bundang CHA Hospital Infertility Center.

The research results were presented at the '2023 85th Autumn Scientific Meeting of the Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine' held last month and received an encouragement award in the clinical category.

The research team at Bundang CHA Hospital Infertility Center evaluated the efficacy and safety of SOD on oocyte maturation rate and fertilization rate, which are reproductive function biomarkers of infertility treatment subjects.

Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species in the body is known as a major factor that negatively affects not only reproductive function decline but also infertility procedures. Accordingly, antioxidant health functional foods such as Coenzyme Q10 are recommended as adjunct therapies for infertility improvement.

In this clinical study, subjects taking GF SOD showed improved oocyte maturation rate and fertilization rate compared to results with double the dosage of Coenzyme Q10, which is the most commonly taken supplement by infertility patients. Moreover, all vital signs and clinical test items showed stable results, proving safety as well.

Jin Ji-eun, the principal investigator and professor at Bundang CHA Women's Medical Research Institute, stated, "GF SOD, which showed antioxidant effects equal to or greater than high-dose Coenzyme Q10, is thought to protect germ cells well from oxidative stress and can be expected to improve reproductive function." She added, "The effect of infertility treatment supplements can vary greatly among individuals, so GF SOD could be a good alternative for patients whose effects from Coenzyme Q10 and other antioxidants are minimal."

Kim Jeong-hyun, the principal investigator at Biomlogic, said, "Infertility is a very serious issue in Korea, a country with low birth rates," and added, "We will strive to help infertility treatment subjects by conducting large-scale clinical trials on infertility patients with improved SOD formulations and high doses."

Genofocus is developing SOD as a drug for macular degeneration and inflammatory bowel disease. The SOD used in this study has been recognized as a safe food ingredient through registration with the U.S. GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) system and is already sold as a health food in Korea.