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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where does the concept come from and how was the company formed?

Cambridge Temperature Concepts (CTC) was founded in 2006 by a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge.

While reading for a PhD in Nuclear and Structural Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, Dr Shamus Husheer, current CEO of CTC, realized that the problem with current ovulation? techniques could be solved by creating a device that automatically recorded body temperature. This would enable it to identify the small change in body basal temperature associated with ovulation.  Dr Husheer gathered a team of postgraduates from the University of Cambridge with the aim of developing such a device. The first prototype was built using standard components from a catalogue; this proved the concept and enabled funding to be secured.

The founding team has been recognised on numerous occasions for the innovation of their technology, and the immense potential of their product for assisting couples who are struggling to conceive. CTC won the Downing Enterprise business plan competition, the Cambridge University Entrepreneurs Business Creation Competition and finally the National business plan competition for the best start-up idea out of all British Universities in 2007. The development of the product has continued to go from strength to strength; CTC has since developed state-of-the-art wireless temperature monitoring technology with unparalleled precision and battery lifetime, opening up a range of new applications in the medical field and other markets where continuous temperature monitoring is critical.

How does DuoFertility predict the fertile window??

The fertile window (i.e. the days that you are likely to conceive) is a few days centered around ovulation. The time over which you can conceive prior to ovulation is generally determined by male sperm? quality and lifetime, as the sperm need to be "waiting around" for the egg? to be released, and the time for which you can conceive after ovulation is more determined by egg quality and lifetime, as the egg needs to survive until the sperm reach it.

The traditional Body Basal Temperature (BBT) method relies on a calculation known as the "three over six" rule - three days of consistently higher temperatures than the previous six is days is considered to confirm ovulation. Unfortunately, by the time that these three days have elapsed, the egg has probably died, and conception? is unlikely. Use of more sophisticated algorithms, and better temperature sensing (with less noise?) can avoid this problem, and identify ovulation well before the egg has died.

DuoFertility uses several different parameters in predicting and confirming ovulation. Primarily temperature is used, at a much higher resolution than conventional BBT, along with input from the user on as many other parameters as she wishes to enter. Among these are mensturation data, cervical position and mucus?, and the results of LH tests (both the digital and traditional types). All of this data, when available, is included in the prediction and confirmation of ovulation.

What awards and business plan competitions did the Company win?

  • 27 Nov '07: CTC wins the UKSEC Business Plan Competition, winning a suite of business services as well as a £6,000 grant.
  • 27 June '07: CTC is offered a £17,282 EEDA Proof of Concept grant.
  • 24 Jan '07: CTC wins the CUEntrepreneurs £1K Business Idea Competition Greater Cambridge Partnership award, securing a £1,000 grant.
  • 18 June '07: CTC wins the CUEntrepreneurs CUEBiC Business Plan Competition, winning both the 3i Entrepreneurship award (£5,000) and the Angels' Prize (£10,000) grants.
  • 31 July '06: Cambridge Temperature Concepts wins second place in the i10 innovators business plan competition.
  • 11 May '06: Cambridge Temperature Concepts wins the Downing Enterprise business plan competition, securing £20,000 in seed funding.
  • 3 Nov '05: CTC wins the CUEntrepreneurs "Hundred Pound Pitch" as "The Fertility Guide", winning £100 in beer money.

Milestones in DuoFertility’s development:

  • Dec ’07: CTC secures £375,000 in seed funding to develop DuoFertility, a novel ovulation detector.
  • June ’08: CTC starts internal trials of DuoFertility prototypes with members of its staff.
  • 7 July ‘08: CTC obtains CE mark approval under the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC Annex IV for the DuoFertility fertility monitor.
  • Dec ’08: CTC starts an EU-wide user trial in order to assess the usability and performance of DuoFertility.
  • March ’09: First pregnancy achieved in the DuoFertility user trial.
  • May ’09: First sales of DuoFertility.

DuoFertility/CTC in the Press

Founders:

  • Dr Shamus Husheer is the inventor of the technology behind DuoFertility and the CEO of Cambridge Temperature Concepts. Shamus completed his PhD. at Cambridge, with 7 years of experience in developing instrumentation and sensors during both his MSc and PhD. Shamus has previously started a chemical instrumentation company (Mu Scientific Equipment Ltd) in New Zealand.
  • Dr Oriane Chausiaux is one of the fertility experts on the team and the Chief Scientific Officer. Oriane completed her PhD. in infertility at the University of Cambridge, and has been involved with infertility research since 2001. Oriane holds a DEUG from the University of Paris VII, a licence and a Masters from the University of Paris VI. Her expertise is mainly in endocrinology-related infertility.
  • Dr Lydia Ferguson holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge in the genetics of male infertility and is one of the team’s fertility experts. Lydia also holds an honours degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Edinburgh.
  • Scott Mackie holds an MPhil from the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. He has 4 years experience’ in the design, development and clinical testing of medical devices. He also holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Honours from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
  • Dr. David Naumann completed his medical training at the University of Cambridge, and is now practicing at the Bedford Hospital. His aptitudes are in the application of evidence-based clinical medicine in published literature, and its practices in both hospital and primary care settings.
  • Chafic Ayoub holds an MSc in Molecular Biology from New York University and also holds an MPhil from the Judge Business School of Cambridge University. He has paramedic experience with the Red Cross in Beirut, and is fluent in French, Arabic and Italian.

Investing Organisations:

  • Cambridge Angels: A group of investors who have proven experience as successful entrepreneurs in the fields of technology and biotechnology.
  • Cambridge Capital Group: A group of investors who offer development funding for early-stage technology-based companies, primarily in Cambridge, the pre-eminent technology cluster in the UK.
  • The University of Cambridge, Downing Enterprise: A group of alumni from Downing College who funded the initial commercialisation of the research behind DuoFertility.

The technology behind DuoFertility
CTC has developed DuoFertility, a new fertility monitor which combines the most established method of identifying ovulation with the latest technology in order to help couples to get pregnant naturally without the inconveniences associated with traditional methods. The body basal temperature (BBT) method used by DuoFertility has been used for ovulation detection since the beginning of the 20th century; it is the only method which has been scientifically proven to confirm that ovulation has occurred.

The wireless DuoFertility temperature sensor can continuously measure body temperature to within a thousandth of a degree, compared to current solutions which typically have a precision of a tenth of a degree.  The coin-sized unit also uses innovative power saving techniques to extend the battery life to more than six months, rather than the usual life of a few days.
CTC’s state-of-the-art wireless temperature monitoring technology demonstrates unparalleled precision and battery lifetime; it opens up a range of new applications in the medical field and other markets where continuous temperature monitoring is critical.

Statistics and trends

Prevalence of infertility:
It is estimated that 1 in 6 couples experience difficulties conceiving in Europe every year. This is expected to rise to 1 in 3 couples within 10 years due to the prevalence of detrimental lifestyle factors.
There are approximately 32,000 cycles of IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation?) and ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) treatments in the UK each year[1], of which 75% are performed in private clinics[2]. This is due to very long waiting lists or ineligibility for NHS-funded fertility treatments.
IVF is only successful in around 23% of cases, although this varies across the country[3], with a typical treatment cost of approximately £5000. This figure varies however, depending on tests, medication, consultations and other procedures involved[4].

Fertility treatment guidelines and access in the UK:
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on infertility, revised in 2004, recommend that the NHS provide three full cycles of IVF to all couples where the woman is aged between 23 and 39 and has an identified cause of infertility or has had unexplained infertility for at least three years[5].
Despite the existence of the NICE guideline, access to state-funded fertility treatment tends to vary greatly across the UK as local health authorities have differing criteria on age limits and number of allowed attempts. A department of health survey found that only 9 out of 151 primary care trusts (PCT) in England met the NICE guidelines[6]. For example, some PCTs do not cover IVF for women under the age of 36, while others will only cover women aged between the ages of 39 and a half and 40[7][8].

Where is DuoFertility available for purchase?
DuoFertility has been approved under the EU Medical Device Directive for sale in the EU and has received the CE mark last year. It is available for purchase in the EU, as well as a number of countries that automatically accept European medical regulations (e.g. South Africa, Switzerland, Kuwait and Norway).
DuoFertility is available online from the DuoFertility website: www.DuoFertility.com

 

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