Ovarian tissue from a sister for women with early ovarian failure
Tests ovarian tissue transplants from a non-identical sister in women with primary ovarian insufficiency.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
- Where
- Cleveland, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Ovarian Tissue Allo-transplantation
- Status
- Not yet recruiting
- People taking part
- 10 people, planned
- Started
- 1 Sept 2026
- Expected to end
- 30 May 2030
- Type of study
- Interventional
- Treatments tested
- Ovarian tissue allo-transplantation
- Record updated
- 23 July 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for women with primary ovarian insufficiency (early menopause) to receive ovarian tissue from a sister who is not an identical twin. Donor sisters and the recipients' male partners also take part.
- Age
- Recipients: 21 to 40 years. Donor sisters: 21-35 years. Male partners: 18 years or older, with a combined age not greater than 110 years.
- Sex
- Recipients and donors are women. Recipients' male partners also take part.
- Disease stage
- Recipients: no periods for 12 months and hormone levels (FSH, LH, estradiol, AMH) like those after menopause. Donors: still have periods, hormone levels like before menopause, and both ovaries.
- Earlier treatment
- Recipients must have been offered IVF with donor eggs and said no. Smokers must have stopped 3 months before joining and pass a nicotine test.
- Biomarker or test result
- Donors must have a normal female karyotype (46,XX) and test negative for HIV type 1 and 2, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, syphilis, West Nile Virus, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Male partners need a normal semen analysis.
Main reasons for not taking part
- High blood pressure, diabetes, or serious heart, liver, kidney or brain and nerve disease
- Past cancer, except stage 1a or 1b cervical cancer after 3 years
- History of HIV, mycobacteria, hepatitis C, or hepatitis B infection
- BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 for recipients, or greater than 35 kg/m2 for donors
- Recipients: active HPV infection, serious mental illness or substance abuse, or a past organ transplant with rejection, infection or graft thrombosis
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 51 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Must meet criteria for ovarian sufficiency: Menstruating; Premenopausal serum hormone (FSH, LH, estradiol, AMH) levels
- Must be between the ages of 21-35 years old
- Must be genetic sister to recipient participant, which will be assessed by patient report
- Must have history of at least one healthy live birth
- Must have more than one ovary (i.e. must have both the left and right ovary)
- Must be willing to undergo a donor transplant evaluation including serologies and nucleic acid testing (NAT, which is essentially rapid PCR) for infectious conditions
- Must have normal female karyotype (46,XX)
- Must have negative testing for HIV type 1 and 2, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, syphilis, West Nile Virus, gonorrhea and chlamydia
- Must be willing to undergo general anesthesia, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, and loss of unilateral ovary
- If patient is a smoker, 3 months cessation is required prior to enrollment and must pass a nicotine test
- Must be willing and able to sign informed consent and follow all outlined procedures and recommendations in the protocol
- Donors (with their marital partners, when applicable) must be willing to seek independent legal advice from attorneys with specific expertise in third-party reproduction to determine their legal rights and duties in entering into a donor reproductive tissue arrangements
- Must meet criteria for primary ovarian insufficiency: Amenorrheic x12 months; Serum hormone (FSH, LH, estradiol, AMH) levels consistent with menopause
- Must be between the ages of 21-40 years old
- Must be in a committed relationship with a male partner
- Must be willing to attempt natural conception within 4 months following transplant
- Must be willing to undergo a pre-transplant evaluation
- Must be willing to undergo Maternal Fetal Medicine consultation and evaluation for safety of pregnancy, particularly patients at risk of complications in pregnancy (e.g. Turner syndrome patients)
- Must be willing to undergo general anesthesia, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, pregnancy with potential high risk complications, and surgery to remove the graft
- Must be willing and able to receive potent immunosuppressive medications and must be able to follow standard infection prophylaxis protocols
- Must have been offered and declined donor oocyte IVF as a first line treatment option
- Must be willing to receive standard vaccinations such as influenza, Hepatitis B. If age and circumstances indicate, be willing to receive vaccines against pneumococcus, HPV and Hepatitis A
- If patient is a smoker, 3 months cessation is required prior to enrollment and must pass a nicotine test
- Must be willing and able to sign informed consent and follow all outlined procedures and recommendations in the protocol, including assent for monitoring neonatal outcomes for the first year after birth
- Intended parents (meaning, the recipient and partner) must be willing to seek independent legal advice from attorneys with specific expertise in third-party reproduction to determine their legal rights and duties in entering into a donor reproductive tissue arrangements
- Must be age 18 years or older (and a combined age not greater than 110 years)
- Must have a normal semen analysis
- Must be willing and able to sign informed consent
- Intended parents (meaning, the recipient and partner) must be willing to seek independent legal advice from attorneys with specific expertise in third-party reproduction to determine their legal rights and duties in entering into a donor reproductive tissue arrangements
Who cannot take part
- Any medical diagnosis placing the subject at high risk of surgical complications based on the team's review of medical history
- Current smoker (smoking cessation must have occurred 3 months prior to enrollment)
- Any medical diagnosis placing the subject at high risk of surgical complications based on the team's review of medical history
- Current smoker (smoking cessation must have occurred 3 months prior to enrollment)
- Prior organ transplant with rejection, infection, or graft thrombosis
- History of hypertension, diabetes, or significant heart, liver, kidney or central nervous system disease
- History of prior malignancy except for cervical cancer in stage 1a or 1b after 3 years
- History of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), mycobacteria, hepatitis C
- Hepatitis B infection (Hepatitis B risk is for those with HepB surface antigen and/or HBV DNA positive. Those that are HepB core antibody true-positive are at minimal risk of reactivation. Those with vaccine-induced HepB surface antibody are not at risk)
- Presence of active documented systemic infection or recent systemic infection within the past three months: Positive for syphilis (T. pallidum), chlamydia (C. trachomatis) or gonorrhea (N. gonorrhea)
- Active HPV infection
- History of prior malignancy except for cervical cancer in stage 1a or 1b after 3 years
- History of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), mycobacteria, hepatitis C
- Hepatitis B infection (Hepatitis B risk is for those with HepB surface antigen and/or HBV DNA positive. Those that are HepB core antibody true-positive are at minimal risk of reactivation. Those with vaccine-induced HepB surface antibody are not at risk)
- Presence of active documented systemic infection or recent systemic infection within the past three months
- Significant mental illness or substance abuse
- History of incarceration
- Significant mental illness or substance abuse
- History of hypertension, diabetes, or significant heart, liver, kidney or central nervous system disease. Serum creatinine level >1.0 mg/dL
- BMI greater than 35 kg/m2
- BMI greater than 30 kg/m2
- Inability to complete regular intercourse
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 21 and 40 years old?
Where in United States
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center*Cleveland, United StatesContact: Kylie PhillipsNot yet recruiting
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Premature ovarian failure, also known as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), or premature menopause, affects 1-2% of women under 40. The diagnosis is typically made based on high levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and absent or irregular menstrual periods. It leads to infertility and menopause-like effects (hot flashes and thin bones) due to low estrogen levels. POI can result from various factors such as genetic conditions, autoimmune diseases, or previous medical treatments like chemotherapy.
Read full original descriptionShow less
Treatment of POI usually involves hormone replacement therapy and, if pregnancy is desired, assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) using an egg donor. However, IVF may not be an option for everyone due to personal, religious, ethical or financial reasons. Recent advances in medicine have identified ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) as a potential solution. OTT involves transplanting either fresh or frozen ovarian tissue into the pelvic area, where it can begin functioning again. Studies in animals and humans have shown success in restoring hormonal function and even achieving pregnancies in some cases. Initial human trials of ovarian tissue transplants from another individual began with identical twins and have since expanded to include non-identical siblings with compatible tissue matches using immunosuppression. Success rates of OTT have been promising, with multiple live births reported between identical twins. Long-term studies indicate that transplanted tissue can remain functional for up to eight years. Ovarian tissue transplantation offers a promising avenue for women with POI to help restore fertility and hormonal function. Continued research and refinement of tissue techniques are essential to improve outcomes and expand access to this innovative treatment option.
This study will enroll 10 participants who will undergo ovarian tissue transplantation donated by a non-identical sister using an immunosuppression protocol at University Hospitals.
The group in the trial
- Ovarian tissue recipientTreatment being tested
Any recipient that receives ovarian tissue transplantation
Treatment: Ovarian tissue allo-transplantation
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Ovarian Tissue Allo-Transplantation in the Setting of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency Between Non-Genetically Identical Siblings With Use of Immunosuppression
- Plain-language title
- Ovarian tissue from a sister for women with early ovarian failureGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 15 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT06673004, who can take part
- Record updated
- 23 July 2026