CHA University Hospital has incorporated the large Japanese infertility center HART Clinic as an affiliated institution, marking the first entry of a domestic infertility center into Japan, it announced on the 29th.
CHA Hospital signed a business integration contract with HART Clinic, which treats 1,200 infertility patients annually, and plans to offer stem cell therapy alongside infertility treatment for the first time in Japan.
According to the Insurance Research Institute, one in four couples in Japan has experience with infertility treatment, and the demand for egg freezing among unmarried women is steadily increasing. To alleviate the economic burden of infertility procedure expenses, the development of insurance products that cover infertility treatment costs in Japan is also active.
However, the average success rate of infertility treatments in Japan is around 23%. CHA Hospital plans to enhance the pregnancy success rate by combining the hospital’s infertility technology with cell therapy.
In particular, in collaboration with CHA Biotech research and development group, it plans to conduct various concurrent treatments using stem cells targeting women over 35 undergoing infertility treatment. This is expected to be the first case in Korea, Japan, and the world of directly injecting and performing stem cells into the ovaries.
CHA Hospital has already carried out various clinical studies on stem cell therapy for infertility. It has successfully performed multiple autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infusions to resolve ovarian issues. PRP is known as a regenerative therapy that is involved in the remodeling of extracellular matrix (the substance that surrounds cells and plays a crucial role in cell growth and differentiation) and the differentiation and proliferation of stem cells.
Based on this success, CHA Hospital plans to continue conducting stem cell therapy in Japan, where clinical trials for stem cell therapy are relatively easier.
Nam Soo-yeon, president of CHA Biotech R&D, said, "Japan shows differences from our country regarding government regulations on infertility and cell therapy and is relatively flexible," adding, "We will not only increase the pregnancy success rate by incorporating stem cell therapy into infertility treatment, but also achieve new research papers and technology development."
Oka Chikahiro, director of HART Clinic, said, "I expect that by collaborating with CHA Hospital, we will be able to provide more benefits to Japanese patients," and added, "We will do our best to achieve worldwide results through cooperation between the two institutions."
CHA Hospital's infertility center is one of the world's top three infertility centers, operating 31 centers in major cities in Australia and six women's medical research institutes (Gangnam, Seoul Station, Bundang, Ilsan, Jamsil, and Daegu) in Korea.