Prelude Fertility and Inception Establish the Largest Provider of Comprehensive Fertility Services in the U.S.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Prelude Fertility (Prelude) and Inception Fertility (Inception) announced a transaction establishing the Prelude Network as the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics, and now the largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in the U.S. Collectively, the Prelude Network and Inception’s Aspire clinics completed approximately 18,000 IVF cycles in 2018. The centers are staffed by 67 affiliated reproductive endocrinologists, with over 750 years of combined experience, who have dedicated their careers to helping patients build their families.

“Similar to Martin Varsavsky, who founded Prelude following his personal experience with fertility treatments, my wife and I faced fertility roadblocks and we experienced the benefits and challenges of infertility care firsthand. It inspired us to establish Inception with a truly patient-centric approach that examines and prioritizes their physical and emotional needs first before their medical treatments,” said TJ Farnsworth, Founder of Inception Fertility who will now serve as Chief Executive Officer for the new parent entity, Inception. “Our combined companies’ likeminded vision and approach is personal and drives us all to change the traditional patient fertility experience to better support family building goals.”

Mark Kehoe, who formerly served as Chief Operating Officer of Prelude, will now serve in the same role at Inception.

This transaction and the continued expansion of the Prelude Network will also benefit national and large regional employers. It will extend access to fertility services for employees as insurance benefits continue to proliferate in the U.S., driven by employee demand and government legislation.

Prelude was created with the singular mission of helping patients ensure their best chances of having a healthy baby when they are ready through comprehensive fertility services that include genetic testing, egg donation services, egg freezing services, and egg and embryo storage. The company oversees 23 fertility practices within the growing Prelude Network, and 36 total locations nationwide including these practices, satellite locations, labs and outpatient ambulatory surgery centers.

The new parent entity will also oversee MyEggBank, which was acquired by Prelude when the company launched in 2016. MyEggBank is one of the largest frozen donor egg banks in North America. Its internationally recognized production centers provide donor eggs to over 100 affiliated IVF centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Inception is the parent company of Aspire Fertility, serving patients at 11 Texas locations in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and McAllen, as well as one location in Atlanta, GA.

The next step in the Inception and Prelude Network journey will be to leverage the strengths of this combined organization to develop the best-in-class standards in patient outcomes and experience.

The new parent company, Inception, with the Prelude Network, will have board representatives from both previous organizations, with the Prelude board and shareholders maintaining controlling interest.

About Prelude Fertility

Prelude was founded in 2016 with the singular mission of helping people ensure their best chances of having a healthy baby when they are ready. The company has become the fastest-growing network of fertility centers in the U.S., providing comprehensive fertility care with the latest science and medicine to help patients achieve their family-building goals. Through the Prelude Network, patients can receive egg freezing and IVF services, genetic testing of embryos, egg donation services, and egg and embryo storage — all delivered with the highest level of personalized care by the nation’s leading reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and practitioners. www.PreludeFertility.com

About Inception Fertility Ventures

Inception Fertility Ventures was founded in 2015 with an ambitious goal to create a family of organizations intent on improving the way patients experience their fertility journey. The company’s mission is to shift the paradigm of the fertility market by raising the standard of care, streamlining fragmented components into an integrated system, and enhancing the overall patient experience. The company operates 11 facilities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, McAllen and San Antonio as well as one location in Atlanta, GA with its headquarters in Houston, TX. www.InceptionFertility.com / www.AspireFertility.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190328005158/en/