Cord Blood Registry (CBR), a California Cryobank Life Sciences company, has announced it will acquire Natera’s Evercord™ cord blood business for an undisclosed sum. CBR is the largest newborn stem cell collection and storage company within the United States with more than 875,000 stem cell samples in storage. Natera is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: NTRA) that specializes in genetic testing services.
Natera’s Evercord™ Cord Blood Business
Natera launched its Evercord™ cord blood business only two years ago in March 2017, in partnership with Bloodworks Northwest, a long-standing public umbilical cord blood banks in the U.S. At the time of its launch, Natera noted: “More than 30,000 cord blood stem cell treatments have been conducted worldwide and Natera’s prenatal tests, including its carrier test, Horizon™, currently screen for 35 of the nearly 80 diseases where cord blood stem cell treatment has been administered.”
In the press release issued about the acquisition of of Natera’s Evercord™ cord blood business by CBR, Steve Chapman, Natera’s CEO, explained: “This divestiture will allow Natera to focus squarely on its core genetic testing business in reproductive health, oncology and organ transplantation. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished with Evercord and believe that CBR, as the recognized industry leader in newborn stem cells, is the best partner for cord blood services moving forward.”
While it unknown what percent its Evercord™ cord blood business contributed, Natera recently reported a 19% increase it its third quarter (Q3) revenue.
Richard Jenning, the CEO of California Cryobank Life Sciences, shared: “As a pillar of the California Cryobank Life Sciences (CCLS) organization, CBR is built on scientific excellence, leadership, and best-in-class services. Natera shares our core values and commitment to quality. We look forward to safeguarding these newborn stem cells and allowing the Evercord families to take advantage of future advances in cellular therapies and regenerative medicine.”
History of CBR’s Cord Blood Banking Business
Founded in 1992, Cord Blood Registry (CBR) was acquired by AMAG Pharmaceuticals for $700M in March 2015. By June 2018, AMAG Pharmaceuticals sold its interest in CBR to GI Partners, a private equity investment firm. At the same time it acquired CBR, GI Partners bought California Cryobank, a donor sperm and egg bank. GI Partners then merged the two companies into a single entity providing combination stem cell storage and assisted fertility services.
While many of the smaller banks had been acquiring companies for year, CBR’s acquisition of Natera’s Evercord™ cord blood business was its first direct acquisition of another cord blood banking business.
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