Paternabio
7 known investors
Paterna Biosciences develops in vitro spermatogenesis (IVS) technology that drives adult testicular stem cells to develop into optimized sperm, aiming to treat male infertility and improve IVF success rates. The company targets couples facing infertility and the broader male reproductive health field, where roughly half of failed IVF cycles involve a male factor.
Also known as Paterna Bio · Paterna Biosciences · Paterna BioSciences, Inc.
Investors · 7
Also in the syndicate · 3
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Paterna Biosciences, Inc. is a Salt Lake City, Utah-based biotechnology company working on in vitro spermatogenesis (IVS) — driving a patient's own adult testicular stem cells to develop into mature, optimized sperm — as a therapeutic approach to male infertility. The company frames male infertility as an under-addressed segment of reproductive medicine, stating that male infertility care lags roughly 30 years behind IVF-focused female treatment, that treatment options have been stagnant since 1992, and that there is currently no effective FDA-approved therapeutic for male infertility. Paterna describes its work as "growing sperm in a dish," intended to improve sperm quality and thereby the likelihood of successful, healthy pregnancy and higher IVF success rates.
The company reports having achieved what it describes as the world's first in vitro human spermatogenesis, and says it has kept adult sperm stem cells alive and replicating longer than any other lab. Public descriptions of the company associate it with testicular stem cell biology, non-obstructive azoospermia, single-cell genomics and computational biology/bioinformatics. Paterna publishes a moral and ethical statement limiting its work to restoring fertility and addressing genetic disorders that cause male infertility using the patient's own adult stem cells, and explicitly rejecting any use of the technology to modify heritable social traits. The company states it is not a medical provider.
Paterna is led by co-founder and CEO Alex Pastuszak, MD, PhD, who was named CEO in July 2024, succeeding former CEO and Co-Chairman Edward Rowland; Danny Mitchell serves as Chief Financial Officer. Other co-founders include Jim Hotaling, Brad Cairns and Jingtao Guo, joined in January 2024 by reproductive biologist Kyle Orwig, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and founding director of the UPMC Magee Center for Reproduction and Transplantation.
Founding story
Paterna was founded after its physician founders found it increasingly difficult to repeatedly tell couples they were unable to conceive. Rather than continuing the field's historical focus on female treatment, the founders concentrated on male reproductive biology and on developing in vitro spermatogenesis. Public profiles list the company's founding year as 2020, with co-founders including Alex Pastuszak, Jim Hotaling, Brad Cairns and Jingtao Guo, and Kyle Orwig joining as a co-founder in January 2024.
Business model
Paterna is a pre-commercial biotechnology developer advancing a laboratory technology toward clinical application; it is described in third-party profiles as operating a B2B model oriented toward the fertility clinic and reproductive medicine channel rather than as a direct medical provider. The company states it is not a medical provider and cannot advise on individual medical conditions.
Traction
Paterna reports achieving the world's first in vitro human spermatogenesis, covered by WIRED, and maintaining adult sperm stem cells alive and replicating longer than any other lab. It raised an oversubscribed $6 million seed round announced in October 2024 led by SpringTide Ventures, and third-party profiles list a headcount of roughly 17 to 50 employees. The company was listed among 16 companies selected for Tampa Bay Wave's 2025 HealthTech|X Accelerator cohort announcement in June 2025.
Latest developments
In January 2024 Paterna announced reproductive biologist Kyle Orwig as a co-founder. In July 2024 the company announced Alex Pastuszak, MD, PhD, as CEO, succeeding retiring CEO and Co-Chairman Edward Rowland. In late October 2024 Paterna announced an oversubscribed $6 million seed round led by SpringTide Ventures to advance its in vitro spermatogenesis science and accelerate clinical development and commercialization. In June 2025 the company appeared in the announcement of Tampa Bay Wave's 2025 HealthTech|X Accelerator cohort.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, risks & controversies
Market position
Paterna positions itself as a first-mover in therapeutic male infertility treatment, claiming the first new treatment approach for male infertility since 1992 and the first in vitro human spermatogenesis. Third-party comparables cited for the company include Kallistem, Ovelle Bio Corp. and Conception.
Technology
The core technology is in vitro spermatogenesis (IVS): adult testicular (spermatogonial) stem cells taken from the patient are driven in culture to develop into healthy, optimized sperm, with the goal of enhancing sperm quality and improving IVF outcomes. The company reports achieving the first in vitro human spermatogenesis and maintaining adult sperm stem cells alive and replicating for longer than other laboratories. Associated technical areas cited in company profiles include single-cell genomics, computational biology and bioinformatics, and applications in non-obstructive azoospermia. The company operates a laboratory at its Salt Lake City address.
Go-to-market
The company is in a research and clinical-development stage, stating that seed proceeds are directed at accelerating clinical development and commercialization; it publicly solicits investor interest, study participation and employment inquiries through its website, and has communicated milestones via press releases and media coverage, including a WIRED feature on its in vitro spermatogenesis result.
Couples and individuals affected by male-factor infertility, plus reproductive medicine clinicians and fertility clinics. The company cites an addressable context of roughly 3 million IVF cycles annually worldwide, of which about half fail, with male factors implicated in about half of those failures, and states that 1 in 8 couples experience infertility.
Geography
Headquarters and laboratory at 2749 East Parleys Way, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84109, United States. Scientific affiliations extend to the University of Pittsburgh through co-founder Kyle Orwig.
Risks & controversies
The company acknowledges that work with adult stem cells is viewed by some as controversial, and publishes an ethical statement restricting its work to restoring fertility and addressing genetic causes of male infertility using the patient's own adult stem cells while rejecting modification of heritable social traits. As a pre-commercial biotechnology company, it states it is actively seeking funding to accelerate clinical development and commercialization, and it notes there is no FDA-approved therapeutic for male infertility. Third-party data providers report differing figures for the company's funding, headcount and status, including one profile that labels the company "probably closed."
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 5
launches, deals, and filingsPaterna states on its website that it achieved the world's first in vitro human spermatogenesis, with the result covered by WIRED.
Paterna Biosciences appeared in coverage of Tampa Bay Wave's launch of its 2025 HealthTech|X Accelerator with 16 selected startups.
Paterna announced an oversubscribed $6 million seed investment led by SpringTide Ventures, with participation from e184, the Utah Innovation Fund, Freya Ventures and others, to advance its in vitro spermatogenesis science and accelerate clinical development and commercialization.
$6M source ↗
Paterna appointed co-founder Alex Pastuszak, MD, PhD, as CEO to lead its male fertility programs and drive seed fundraising, succeeding retiring CEO and Co-Chairman Edward Rowland.
Paterna announced that reproductive biologist Kyle Orwig, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and founding director of the UPMC Magee Center for Reproduction and Transplantation, joined the company as a co-founder alongside co-founders Jim Hotaling, Brad Cairns and Jingtao Guo.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Paternabiopaternabio.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Paternabio do?
- Paterna Biosciences develops in vitro spermatogenesis technology to grow sperm from adult testicular stem cells for male infertility.
- Who are Paternabio's investors?
- Paternabio's investors include Draper Associates, Seaside Ventures, SpringTide Ventures, Utah Innovation Fund.