OvaScience

The company's business model revolved around commercializing fertility treatments based on its proprietary EggPC™ (egg precursor cells) technology. This technology aimed to utilize immature egg cells found in the ovarian cortex to improve fertility outcomes. Its primary clients were in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics and patients struggling with infertility, operating in the global fertility market. Revenue was to be generated from these treatments, which were offered in select international regions as they were not available in the U.S. following a 2013 FDA ruling that required a more rigorous drug approval pathway than the company had anticipated. This regulatory hurdle significantly impacted the company's initial commercialization strategy.

OvaScience's product pipeline included three main treatments. The AUGMENT treatment was designed to enhance egg health by injecting mitochondria from a patient's own EggPC cells into her eggs during an IVF cycle. It was introduced in several international clinics starting in 2014. The company was also developing OvaPrime, a treatment intended to increase a woman's egg reserve by repositioning her EggPC cells to mature within the ovary. A third potential treatment, OvaTure, aimed to create mature, fertilizable eggs in a lab setting, eliminating the need for hormone stimulation.

Despite a promising start, including a public offering in 2012 and a peak share price of around $50 in early 2015, OvaScience faced significant challenges. The scientific premise of its technology was met with skepticism and controversy within the reproductive biology community. After failing to meet sales expectations, the company underwent multiple rounds of restructuring, including significant layoffs and changes in executive leadership starting in late 2016. Ultimately, in August 2018, OvaScience entered into a reverse merger agreement with Millendo Therapeutics, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company. The combined entity continued under the Millendo name, shifting focus to orphan endocrine diseases and effectively ending OvaScience's operations as an independent fertility-focused company.