Latest news with #NucleusEmbryo
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Health
- Newsweek
New IVF Tool Allows Parents To Screen Genetics of Embryos: Is It Ethical?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new tool allows parents undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) to screen their embryos for health issues, but is it ethical? Genetic disease is believed to be linked to 41 percent of U.S. infants' deaths, while more than 2 million children in the country have a genetic condition. U.S.-based company Nucleus is offering people having IVF the chance to select their embryos by using software that highlights various genetic markers linked to health. Technology that tries to prevent genetic diseases like sickle cell disease, where patients have unusually shaped red blood cells, is already in use. Newsweek/Getty Images/Newsweek/Getty Images "This type of selection of specific embryos as a result of IVF is already occurring in sickle cell care," Dr. Crawford Strunk, vice chief medical officer of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, told Newsweek. Parents are able to choose an embryo which tests negative for sickle cell disease, he said, and from which stem cells can also be taken for transplant to help cure children with the condition. However, two experts raised concern over embryo selection, with one telling Newsweek that there are "deeply troubling ethical aspects" of IVF. Preventing Genetic Disease and Improving Embryo Health Nucleus Embryo is described as "the first genetic optimization software that helps parents pursuing IVF see and understand the complete genetic profile of each of their embryos." With the tool, users can check for more than 1,000 traits and conditions, from single gene disorders like cystic fibrosis to complex conditions like heart disease and cancer risks, and mental health conditions like anxiety and ADHD, the company's CEO Kian Sadeghi told Newsweek. The technology is able to do this by not only detecting specific genetic markers for certain diseases but by also calculating polygenic scores, which combine up to a million genetic markers into a single number to determine someone's genetic predisposition for a condition or trait. This includes coronary artery disease, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and more. "These integrated models further enable Nucleus to identify risk in embryos and adults as accurately as possible," Jerry Lanchbury, a member of Nucleus' scientific advisory board, told Newsweek. According to a 2023 study by Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, the deaths of five out of seven infants from genetic disease could have been prevented had "rapid, diagnostic [whole genome sequencing] been performed at the time of symptom onset or intensive care unit admission." In the U.K., whole genome sequencing has been brought in as a routine part of medical care, in order to increase "early detection and treatment of high-risk conditions." "The power of genetic prediction also goes beyond rare diseases. Genetic testing can lead to lifesaving preventive care," Lanchbury said. He added that genetic instances of high cholesterol, breast cancer and colon cancer cause a substantial number of deaths in the U.S. every year, with more than 3 million cases contributing to over 750,000 deaths per year. "Each of these conditions are preventable," he said. Lanchbury also said that "the environment, parenting and chance play profound roles in how genetic predispositions manifest," so Nucleus ranks its predictions by strength so that parents can understand the range of likely outcomes for their embryos. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. representative for Florida, told Newsweek that IVF can be a "godsend" for those with a BRCA gene mutation—which can increase the risk of breast cancer in women by 80 percent, Lanchbury said. A breast cancer survivor herself, Wasserman Schultz added that IVF treatment "can help end generational genetic cycles of deadly disease in a family's future." Technology that can test for a BRCA gene mutation in embryos and determine which embryos should be implanted as a result is "one of many incredible, life-saving benefits of genetic research," she said. However, while Sadeghi told Newsweek that "people have the right to genetically optimize their children," various groups and experts say the technology raises a number of ethical questions. A photo of a Nucleus kit, used to screen embryos for genetic conditions. A photo of a Nucleus kit, used to screen embryos for genetic conditions. Uncredited/Nucleus Choosing Embryos Based on Characteristics While giving parents the opportunity to select their embryos based on a number of traits and conditions could help to reduce the prevalence of genetic disease, it could also allow them to make their choices based on other factors. "If we are talking about screening and selecting certain human embryos over others based on a host of characteristics and risks, then we are not talking about preventing harm to future human beings but making a choice as to which human lives are most worth living," Jason Thacker, assistant professor of philosophy and ethics at Southern Seminary and Boyce College, told Newsweek. He added that from the very moment of fertilization, "a unique human being is made which has inherent dignity, value and rights." "This is one of the deeply troubling ethical aspects of IVF in general, where children are often treated as mere commodities and not fully human in the embryonic stage," he said. He added that while modifying genes to prevent disease "may have some tangible benefits worth cautiously pursuing," it is also important to be aware of how those decisions will affect the child and subsequent generations. There has also been some concern raised about the implications of parents selecting embryos with a higher IQ screening. "Parents can select for an average difference of 2.5 IQ points," Sadeghi told Newsweek. However, intelligence has been found to be linked with schizophrenia, ADHD, OCD, Alzheimer's disease and autism, he added. "When you analyze genes for disease risk, you're also uncovering insights into traits, since both share a common genetic foundation," Sadeghi said. "What matters most to us is helping parents understand these genetic connections—so they can make informed choices based on what matters most to them." Thacker, however, warned that this technology was leading society into territory where "we will not always be able to accurately predict the downstream effects of our biomedical decisions, and we must be extremely cautious and seek wisdom as we go about techniques that affect real human lives—both in the embryonic stage, at birth and into future generations." A photo of a computer screen showing the results from an embryo assessment done by the company Nucleus. A photo of a computer screen showing the results from an embryo assessment done by the company Nucleus. Uncredited/Nucleus IVF Treatment and Unused Embryos Some concern, particularly from religious groups, has been raised over the fact that this technology could result in unused embryos being destroyed. According to calculations by the Catholic television network EWTN, more embryos are likely destroyed during IVF treatment than via abortion each year. Catholic belief determines a new human life begins at the point of conception or fertilization, meaning the loss of these embryos equates to a loss of human life, making IVF itself an ethical issue. "IVF is morally condemned because it replaces, rather than assists, the sexual act of the couple in conceiving children and creates human life in a lab where the embryos are easily mistreated and even killed," Joseph Meaney, a past president and current senior fellow of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, told Newsweek. Meaney said gene therapy for embryos could be ethical as long as it was done to "treat or cure a genetic or medical defect." However, "It is not ethically acceptable to make genetic modifications to normal human beings with the intention of enhancement—defined as trying to create better than healthy human capacity," Meaney said, pointing to those who may wish to select embryos based on higher intelligence for example. Aware of these concerns, Sadeghi told Newsweek that Nucleus intends to overcome the issues "openly, transparently, and always guided by individual choice." "Everything we do is guided on the principle of responsible use of modern genomic science, and reproductive freedom," he added. Sadeghi said that until now, this sort of technology "has been discussed only behind closed doors—not in public." This means that Americans now have the opportunity to "listen to each other, hear each other out, and use this information to establish their views to ensure the insight Nucleus Embryo can provide is put to good use."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Startups Weekly: No sign of pause
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can't miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. You'd think WWDC would cause a lull in startup news. But not in June, when everyone is eager to announce their latest deals — or even to go public. This week brought us many reminders that no startup journey is linear — but the next billion-dollar idea may only be one click away. Gong chime: Neobank Chime went public this week in one of this year's most anticipated IPOs. But the company nearly died in 2016 — until a providential check. Oh no, baby, no: Genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics raised criticism for its new product, Nucleus Embryo, which could let future parents pick or discard embryos based on controversial factors. Personal CRM: owner Automattic acquired Clay, a startup that had raised over $9 million in venture capital for its relationship management app, which will continue to be supported. (Trivia alert: TechCrunch has been writing about Automattic for 20 years now.) ICYMI: Brad Menezes, CEO of enterprise vibe-coding startup Superblocks, has a tip for prospective founders hoping to find a billion-dollar idea: Look at the system prompts used by existing AI unicorns. Behind this week's top deals, including some particularly large ones, you will find oversubscribed rounds and VC inbound, but also hard-earned funding and bold life decisions. Slim and fat: Multiverse Computing, a Spanish startup reducing the size of LLMs, raised an unusually large Series B of €189 million (about $215 million). The company claims its 'slim' models can lower AI costs and run on all sorts of devices. Upward: Enterprise AI company Glean raised a $150 million Series F led by Wellington Management at a $7.2 billion valuation, up from $4.6 billion in September 2024. Boiling hot: Fervo Energy landed $206 million in a mix of debt and equity from backers, including Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, to continue work on a new geothermal power plant in Utah. Nuclear fuel: German startup Proxima Fusion secured a €130 million Series A (approximately $148 million) led by Balderton Capital and Cherry Ventures. Last mile: Coco Robotics, a delivery robot startup backed by Sam Altman, disclosed having raised $80 million across a mix of funding events from 2021 to 2024. In March, it announced a partnership with OpenAI. Singing: Hotel guest management platform Canary locked in an $80 million Series D led by Brighton Park Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Insight Partners, Fidelity, and others. Fresh capital: Tebi, the new fintech startup by former Adyen CTO Arnout Schuijff, raised a €30 million round ($34 million) led by Alphabet's CapitalG for its all-in-one platform for hospitality businesses. Streamlining contracts: British AI legal tech startup Definely raised a $30 million Series B from European and North American investors to make it easier for lawyers to review contracts. Based: AI sales startup Landbase closed a $30 million Series A co-led by existing investor Picus Capital and Ashton Kutcher's Sound Ventures, which was one of 130 VC firms that reached out after its Series A and product launch. Shining bright: Co-founded by Jewel Burks Solomon, the former head of Google for Startups in the U.S., Collab Capital closed a $75 million Fund II focused on seed and Series A investments into healthcare, infrastructure, and the future of work. The U.S. Navy says 'welcome aboard' to new startup partnerships. This week on StrictlyVC Download, acting chief technology officer Justin Fanelli shared insights on the Navy's innovation adoption kit, as well as advice for any startups looking to work with the Navy. Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
13-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Startups Weekly: No sign of pause
Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can't miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. You'd think WWDC would cause a lull in startup news. But not in June, when everyone is eager to announce their latest deals — or even to go public. Most interesting startup stories from the week Image Credits:Nasdaq This week brought us many reminders that no startup journey is linear — but the next billion-dollar idea may only be one click away. Gong chime: Neobank Chime went public this week in one of this year's most anticipated IPOs. But the company nearly died in 2016 — until a providential check. Oh no, baby, no: Genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics raised criticism for its new product, Nucleus Embryo, which could let future parents pick or discard embryos based on controversial factors. Personal CRM: owner Automattic acquired Clay, a startup that had raised over $9 million in venture capital for its relationship management app, which will continue to be supported. (Trivia alert: TechCrunch has been writing about Automattic for 20 years now.) ICYMI: Brad Menezes, CEO of enterprise vibe-coding startup Superblocks, has a tip for prospective founders hoping to find a billion-dollar idea: Look at the system prompts used by existing AI unicorns. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Most interesting VC and funding news this week Image Credits:Fervo Energy Behind this week's top deals, including some particularly large ones, you will find oversubscribed rounds and VC inbound, but also hard-earned funding and bold life decisions. Slim and fat: Multiverse Computing, a Spanish startup reducing the size of LLMs, raised an unusually large Series B of €189 million (about $215 million). The company claims its 'slim' models can lower AI costs and run on all sorts of devices. Upward: Enterprise AI company Glean raised a $150 million Series F led by Wellington Management at a $7.2 billion valuation, up from $4.6 billion in September 2024. Boiling hot: Fervo Energy landed $206 million in a mix of debt and equity from backers, including Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, to continue work on a new geothermal power plant in Utah. Nuclear fuel: German startup Proxima Fusion secured a €130 million Series A (approximately $148 million) led by Balderton Capital and Cherry Ventures. Last mile: Coco Robotics, a delivery robot startup backed by Sam Altman, disclosed having raised $80 million across a mix of funding events from 2021 to 2024. In March, it announced a partnership with OpenAI. Singing: Hotel guest management platform Canary locked in an $80 million Series D led by Brighton Park Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Insight Partners, Fidelity, and others. Fresh capital: Tebi, the new fintech startup by former Adyen CTO Arnout Schuijff, raised a €30 million round ($34 million) led by Alphabet's CapitalG for its all-in-one platform for hospitality businesses. Streamlining contracts: British AI legal tech startup Definely raised a $30 million Series B from European and North American investors to make it easier for lawyers to review contracts. Based: AI sales startup Landbase closed a $30 million Series A co-led by existing investor Picus Capital and Ashton Kutcher's Sound Ventures, which was one of 130 VC firms that reached out after its Series A and product launch. Shining bright: Co-founded by Jewel Burks Solomon, the former head of Google for Startups in the U.S., Collab Capital closed a $75 million Fund II focused on seed and Series A investments into healthcare, infrastructure, and the future of work. Last but not least Image Credits:Getty Images The U.S. Navy says 'welcome aboard' to new startup partnerships. This week on StrictlyVC Download, acting chief technology officer Justin Fanelli shared insights on the Navy's innovation adoption kit, as well as advice for any startups looking to work with the Navy.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Engineering humanity & where to draw a line
The future of human reproduction and genetic design is accelerating faster than most people understand, driven not by national debates or international accords, but by software startups, biotech investors, and quiet breakthroughs in fertility clinics. Nucleus Genomics recently unveiled Nucleus Embryo, a genetic screening platform that allows prospective parents to assess up to 20 embryos for more than 900 conditions and traits. These include not only polygenic risk scores for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's but also traits such as intelligence, height, and anxiety. In short, it offers a pathway to genetic optimisation — allowing parents to select not only healthier babies but the human features they want. Orchid, another US startup, pioneered full-genome sequencing of IVF embryos for disease screening. Once exclusive to the ultra-wealthy, Orchid's services are rapidly becoming more affordable, pointing to a future where embryo selection could become a standard step in family planning for both the middle and upper class. Meanwhile, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, known for backing radical biotech ventures, has announced plans to launch a US company that would go beyond selection into embryo editing. Thanks to recent advances in base editing, it is now possible to alter individual DNA letters with high precision rewriting, rather than merely reading the code of life. The commercial race toward Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) babies has begun — and this is something I have long been both excited and terrified about. In a 2017 Washington Post article, I asked: 'Human editing has just become possible. Are we ready for the consequences?' I warned that CRISPR had made embryo editing technically feasible, but that society wasn't prepared for the moral fallout. I feared we would drift from preventing disease to designing our children. We have crossed this Rubicon. While the global community debates ethics and oversight, China is racing ahead with few restraints. Chinese scientists are editing the genes of animals — and even human embryos — not only to treat disease but to enhance traits such as intelligence and strength. Their goal appears to be the creation of so-called superhumans. Without international standards and ethical guardrails, unchecked ambition in any one country can pose risks for all of humanity. India must pay close attention. It has already misused reproductive technology: Ultrasound machines meant for foetal health monitoring were widely repurposed for sex selection. In Haryana, the sex ratio at birth has declined to 910 girls for every 1,000 boys. In a society shaped by caste, colourism, and academic pressure, gene editing could easily be co-opted to entrench inequality under the banner of 'better futures'. But more than vigilance, India must lead. With a deep-rooted traditions of spiritualism, karma and ethics, and respect for human dignity, it is uniquely positioned to offer the moral leadership this moment demands. Its scientific community is world-class, and its track record — from generic medicine to vaccine equity — shows it can pair innovation with compassion. The concerns extend far beyond reproduction. Gene-edited crops could marginalise small farmers if patented seeds are controlled by large corporations. CRISPR-based therapies, already costing more than $500,000 in the West, could deepen biological inequality. Even gene drives, designed to eliminate diseases such as malaria, could threaten delicate ecosystems like the Sundarbans if not deployed with care. To lead responsibly, India must act on four fronts. First, accelerate research. Universities and public institutions should partner with socially responsible entrepreneurs to build local expertise in gene editing, synthetic biology, and bioethics. This collaboration can ensure innovation is aligned with the public interest and rooted in Indian values rather than imported priorities. Second, access must be equitable. India has done this before with lifesaving generic drugs and can do this again. Public funding and subsidies must ensure CRISPR therapies reach rural and tribal populations suffering from genetic disorders like thalassemia. Third, the entire regulatory framework needs to be updated because existing biotech laws predate CRISPR. A new structure, co-created with scientists, ethicists, civil society, and patients, must define what is allowed, what is off-limits, and how oversight will function. Real engagement with the public, not just top-down mandates, will be essential. Fourth, India must lead globally. As it did in championing affordable vaccines, it can help shape international norms for genetic science, banning non-medical trait selection, regulating gene drives, and insisting on transparency and accountability. India can set the ethical benchmark, not merely follow it. We now have a rare opportunity to prove that scientific progress and moral clarity can coexist, but the window is narrow. We cannot rely on Silicon Valley, where profit is the only true metric of success, nor on China, where State control and repression define scientific ambition. Both paths risk taking humanity into dangerous territory. The world needs a third way, rooted in spiritual values, ethical reasoning, and the belief that technology must serve the many, not just the powerful, and this is the role India must play. Vivek Wadhwa is CEO, Vionix Biosciences. The views expressed are personal.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nucleus Genomics Launches Nucleus Embryo, Genetic Optimization Software Alongside Partnership with Genomic Prediction
Parents pursuing IVF now have a new level of choice to empower their family planning NEW YORK, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With U.S. birthrates plummeting and IVF on the rise, Nucleus Genomics today launched Nucleus Embryo, the first genetic optimization software that lets parents see and understand a complete genetic profile to select an embryo. "Before there's a heartbeat, there's DNA," said Kian Sadeghi, founder and CEO of Nucleus. "One file containing DNA and genetic markers can tell you more about your baby's future than any other test a doctor could possibly run at this stage. Most clinics stop at whether an embryo will develop. For many parents, that's not enough. Patients have long asked for more transparency from clinics, and Nucleus Embryo is an important step toward complete data ownership for parents planning their families." The software enables parents to analyze and compare up to 20 embryos across over 900 hereditary conditions and 40 additional analyses beyond basic viability, spanning cancers, chronic conditions, appearance, cognitive ability, mental health, and more. To widen access to the software, Nucleus will partner with Genomic Prediction, the first company to offer genome-wide screening on embryos. The partnership sets a new standard in genetic medicine, continuing Genomic Prediction's decade-long history of giving hopeful parents the best possible chance of implanting healthy embryos. The company's analyses focus on hereditary conditions, acting as the first line of defense against chronic and rare diseases. "As an organization, we are committed to supporting patients' rights to their DNA and any information that can aid in their family-building journey," said Kelly Ketterson, CEO of Genomic Prediction. "We have a legacy of innovation aimed at providing patients with access to the best scientific resources. Our partnership with Nucleus opens access to information our patients have requested and allows us to uphold our commitment to this legacy." Nucleus' partnership with Genomic Prediction reflects a growing shift in how parents think about genetics as a tool to give children the best possible start in life. A wide-ranging study of Americans found the majority accepted the use of genetic technology to choose embryos based on health and personality traits. Four in 10 parents would use genetic optimization as another tool to understand their future child's cognitive abilities. Most women undergo three to six IVF cycles before successfully having a baby, with each cycle costing up to $25,000. Many embryos are unviable within days of being fertilized, leaving parents with few to choose from. Facing high stakes, clinicians often recommend genetic testing to optimize a couple's chances of a healthy pregnancy. But these tests typically stop at a select number of hereditary conditions and chromosome count. Now, advanced genetic analysis from Nucleus gives parents a new window into the health and well-being of their future child. Nucleus Embryo provides a comprehensive genetic profile for each embryo, encompassing hereditary genetic diseases, like cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis, alongside genetic measures of cognitive ability, mental health, and risk for chronic diseases. Wide access to genetic insights for embryos can also help extend lifespan from the earliest stages of life. While more than half of all deaths annually in the U.S. are attributed to chronic, age-related conditions — such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease — research shows embryonic selection can materially help reduce disease risk for these conditions. "We celebrate health optimization and the pursuit of longevity in every other part of life via our focus on training, supplements, and sleep," Sadeghi said. "We all know health isn't just the absence of disease. It's the ability to understand our bodies and genetic makeup to reach our full potential. Now we can apply this principle to life's inception." About Nucleus Genomics Nucleus builds software for generational health. Inspired by the loss of his cousin who died of a rare — yet preventable — genetic disease, Nucleus founder and Thiel Fellow Kian Sadeghi left an Ivy League university to build a product that could have saved her life. Our advanced DNA health test and analysis takes the guesswork out of your health, whether it's perfecting your protocols, knowing your risk for cancer, or planning for a healthy family. Follow us on social media @nucleusgenomics. About Genomic Prediction Genomic Prediction, Inc. is the frontrunner in advanced embryo screening. Our proprietary LifeView platform is state-of-the-art technology that assesses embryos for genetic health aimed at improved IVF outcomes. The LifeView Embryo Health Score Test (EHS) offers insight into the likelihood of developing conditions driven by multiple genes. It tests for significant health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, certain cancers, and mental health conditions. The EHS results are derived from the same embryo sample used in the following PGT tests: PGT-A: Identifies chromosome abnormalities in embryos. PGT-A+: Pinpoints the origin (paternal, maternal, or embryonic) of chromosome abnormalities. PGT-M: Decreases the chances of passing on monogenic (single-gene) conditions. PGT-SR: Detects chromosome abnormalities and structural imbalances, providing clarity between normal and balanced chromosomes. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Nucleus
