Source: WIRED
Paterna Biosciences claims it can reprogram stem cells into functional sperm and has used that sperm to generate embryos. If verified, the capability moves from theoretical to operational and bypasses the biological requirement for male gamete production entirely. The immediate applications are clear: infertile men and same-sex couples gain a fertility option. The harder questions are regulatory—no FDA pathway exists for lab-derived gametes—and evidentiary: whether peer review or live births will constitute proof. The startup model itself matters. Private capital is now funding reproductive infrastructure that governments have either banned or left in legal limbo, creating a race condition where technical capability outpaces governance.