Could immature sperm cells help infertile men become fathers?
NCT ID NCT04298255
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study tests whether round spermatids (immature sperm cells) can be used in IVF to help men with a condition called non-obstructive azoospermia, where no mature sperm are present. Researchers will collect these cells from the testicles and inject them into eggs to see if they can create embryos. The study involves 50 couples and compares results using only the man's cells versus using donor sperm as a backup.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Round Spermatid Injection (ROSI) procedure
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new way for men with no sperm in their ejaculate to father biological children using their own cells.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early, small study (50 couples) testing a new technique. It may not lead to successful pregnancies, and there are unknown risks to embryos.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2020
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Males with no elongated spermatids or spermatozoa present but with round spermatids present on TESE (Testicular Sperm Extraction) * Male diagnosed with non-obstructive Azoospermia * Male partner ≥18 * Female partner greater than 18 years of age and less than 38 years of age or Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) greater than 2 ng/ml. Exclusion Criteria: * Males with obstructive azoospermia * Males with presence an adequate number of elongated spermatids or spermatozoa
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Carolinas Fertility Institute (CFI)
RECRUITINGWinston-Salem, North Carolina, 27103, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Could a Man's own stem cells restore his fertility?
- Could a natural tablet help men with low sperm count?
- Diamonds and sperm: a new way to detect fertility problems?
- Mindfulness may ease the emotional toll of infertility
- Could a weekly pill help men with no sperm become fathers?