Fertility company Kindbody announced Tuesday it will bring genetic testing in-house with the acquisition of Phosphorus Labs.

The deal will provide Kindbody with a reference lab in Secaucus, N.J., as well as Phosphorus' staff of geneticists and lab technicians, who will join the fertility startup's new KindLabs division.

This acquisition marks Kindbody's second in 2022. In February, the company announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire Vios Fertility Institute, a network of fertility clinics.

"I'm excited to welcome the Phosphorus team to the Kindbody family. With KindLabs, our patients will experience a seamless integration of high-quality genetic testing services," Dr. Dean Morbeck, chief scientific officer at Kindbody, said in a statement.

"In addition to providing an opportunity to bring existing diagnostic testing in-house, KindLabs enables us to further our mission to control costs and improve patient experience and outcomes by developing and integrating new diagnostic solutions."

WHY IT MATTERS

Kindbody said it will begin doing its own genetic testing later this year. Before the purchase, the company had outsourced preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy — screening embryos for extra or missing chromosomes during IVF — and expanded carrier screening for genes that could cause disorders.

"This acquisition allows us to incorporate genomics into our everyday patient care, helping Kindbody build healthy families now and in the future. I am very happy to welcome the team to KindLabs and am honored to work alongside this talented team," Kindbody Chief Genomics Officer Dr. Amber Cooper said in a statement. 

THE LARGER TREND

Earlier this year, Kindbody launched a line of at-home fertility hormone tests for men and women. The fertility startup raised $62 million in Series C funding about a year ago and $32 million in Series B financing in 2020.

Other companies in the fertility space include male-focused startup Legacy, which recently raised $25 million; direct-to-consumer virtual care company Ro, which has acquired both Dadi and Modern Fertility; and Proov, which raised $9.7 million late last year.  

Women's hybrid provider Tia recently announced an expansion into fertility services, including fertility testing, counseling and care planning, as well as consultations for pregnant patients about their options.