Lee Equity Partners, Martín Varsavsky, Reproductive Biology Associates and My Egg Bank North America Launch Prelude to
Revolutionize the Way People Start a Family
Partnership Aims to Shift Infertility Industry Focus to Fertility
NEW YORK (October 17, 2016)—Today, Lee Equity Partners, serial entrepreneur Martín Varsavsky, Reproductive Biology Associates (RBA), and My Egg Bank North America (MEB) launched Prelude, a comprehensive fertility company focused on providing proactive fertility care to improve people’s chances of having healthy babies when they’re ready. With more people delaying childbirth until their 30s and 40s to complete their education, pursue careers or find the right partner, Prelude aims to give people more reproductive choices and control over their biological clocks using The Prelude Method. The Prelude Method is a four-step process that includes egg and sperm freezing, genetic testing, embryo creation and single-embryo transfer. Currently, around 18% of women never get to have a baby, and another 20% have just one baby when they wanted more. By coupling earlier decision making with the latest reproductive science and technology, The Prelude Method can dramatically increase the probability of having a healthy baby and decrease the chances of requiring infertility therapy later in life.
Prelude has teamed with fertility industry leaders and clinical experts Reproductive Biology Associates (RBA) in Atlanta, and My Egg Bank North America. RBA is led by reproductive endocrinologists Andrew A. Toledo, M.D., Daniel B. Shapiro, M.D., and Zsolt Peter Nagy, PhD (embryology). Dr. Nagy and his team most recently contributed to significant improvements in oocyte cryopreservation using vitrification technology, which led to the establishment of the first highly efficient donor egg cryobank in the United States, My Egg Bank North America. Dr. Nagy was also employed as a medical scientist on the team that first developed intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a novel insemination method now utilized worldwide.
“Prelude is using vitrification and genetic testing of embryos to dramatically improve pregnancy outcomes,” said Nagy. “The Prelude Method helps us advance My Egg Bank’s mission to ensure people achieve their parenting dreams by literally freezing their fertility at its prime, instead of having to solve the issue of infertility later in life.”
The Prelude Method, Explained
The Prelude Method is a four-step process:
1. Fertility Preservation
Women’s eggs and men’s sperm are frozen during their peak fertility years—their 20s and early 30s. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just women’s eggs that carry risks associated with declining fertility. Advancing paternal age also has been associated with higher incidence of illnesses in offspring such as autism and bipolar disorder.
2. Embryo Creation
When clients are ready to start a family, eggs and sperm are unfrozen and combined to create embryos.
3. Genetic Screening
Before the embryo is implanted, parents are screened for common inherited diseases. If the results of this testing indicate increased risk to their offspring, the embryos are tested for the specific disease(s). Embryos are also tested for chromosomal abnormalities. As genetic screening improves, the number of illnesses that can be detected will rise over time, and so will the chances of having a healthy baby.
4. Single Embryo Transfer
An embryo is selected that will maximize the likelihood for a healthy birth.
"When my wife Nina was only 31, her AMH level was prematurely low and her cycles were irregular,” said Varsavsky. “Being a tech entrepreneur, I started researching her condition, and we decided to go straight for IVF as well as freeze sperm and eggs. We also added the most advanced genetic testing to the mix. The result was phenomenal, we now have two wonderful kids, Mia, 5, and David, 3, and a third one on the way. A fourth baby was born out of our own difficulties—Prelude!"
The WHO Ranks Infertility the Third Most Serious Disease Worldwide
Today, as many as one-third of couples fail trying to conceive through sex, and according to the March of Dimes, as many as 15% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, with the rate increasing as a woman ages. The World Health Organization ranks infertility as the third most serious disease worldwide, after cancer and cardiovascular disease. Inside of this crisis, infertility is estimated to be more than a $2 billion industry, growing more than 4% annually. This trend is dominated by people over the age of 35, who—due to career, financial pressures, not finding the right partner or other factors—are now struggling to conceive. Those who do conceive at a later age have offspring that face significant health risks: 80% of embryos from women over 40 years old carry chromosomal abnormalities, and 5% of newborns are affected by genetic conditions. By providing men and women with more information and choices for managing their fertility earlier in their reproductive years, Prelude intends to significantly reduce the emotional stress and high cost associated with dealing with infertility later in life.
As Prelude’s CEO and founder, Varsavsky will oversee efforts to expand the company’s clinical reach. Geoff Crouse, a senior executive with extensive experience building successful companies in both life sciences and consumer healthcare, will serve as a board member and will support launching Prelude as the interim president. Crouse most recently was the CEO of Cord Blood Registry, the world’s largest private cord blood and tissue bank. Varsavsky and Crouse will be joined on the Prelude board of directors by Dr. Mehmet Oz, who reaches millions through his internationally syndicated media platforms, including the eight-time Daytime Emmy Award–winning TV program The Dr. Oz Show. Dr. Oz has authored more than 400 publications, book chapters and medical books, and has received numerous patents. He participates in 50 heart surgeries per year and is a professor of surgery at Columbia University.
With investments in leading health businesses, including Eating Recovery Center—the nation’s largest network of eating disorder clinics—Lee Equity Partners joined forces with Varsavsky, committing up to $200 million in equity to support the fertility industry and positively impact the lives of many future parents. A portion has funded the acquisition and partnership with RBA and My Egg Bank.
Barry Baker, a senior advisor to Lee Equity, said, “Martín, Geoff and Dr. Oz, and the outstanding physicians at MEB and RBA, create a dream team to transform the fertility industry through premier medicine and broader adoption of vitrification services.”
Collins Ward, a principal at Lee Equity, added, “The combined resources and leadership at Prelude provide a powerful mix of medical innovation and marketing expertise that will drive consumer education and enable millions of people to plan and grow their families.”
For more information about Prelude, visit www.preludefertility.com.
About Prelude
Prelude is a comprehensive fertility company focused on providing proactive fertility care to improve people’s chances of having healthy babies when they’re ready. Founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneur Martín Varsavsky, Lee Equity Partners, Reproductive Biology Associates and My Egg Bank North America, the company was established to give men and women more reproductive choices and control over their biological clocks using The Prelude Method. The Prelude Method is a four-step process that includes egg and sperm freezing, genetic testing, embryo creation, and single embryo transfer. By coupling earlier decision making with the latest reproductive science and technology, The Prelude Method can dramatically increase the probability of having a healthy baby and decrease the chances of requiring infertility therapy later in life.
About Reproductive Biology Associates (RBA)
Reproductive Biology Associates, based in Atlanta and founded in 1983, is the oldest continuously operating full-service private fertility treatment center in the United States. RBA’s mission, from its founding, has been the development, improvement and application of clinical and applied sciences to improve fertility care. It is responsible for several notable “firsts” in reproductive medicine. www.rbaivf.com
About My Egg Bank North America
My Egg Bank North America is the first multicenter network of fertility centers offering the proprietary cryogenic egg vitrification process originally developed by Reproductive Biology Associates, in Atlanta, in 2010.
My Egg Bank North America is a network of five nationally recognized egg production centers providing frozen donor eggs to over 100 affiliated IVF centers throughout the United States and Canada. Recipients who seek care at My Egg Bank affiliate centers are treated by fertility specialists who are highly qualified and trained to use My Egg Bank’s technology and vitrified donor eggs in their practice. The production centers are Reproductive Biology Associates, in Atlanta; IVF New England, in Boston; The Center for Reproductive Medicine, in Orlando, Florida; Seattle Reproductive Medicine; and Reproductive Associates of Delaware. www.myeggbank.com
About Lee Equity Partners, LLC
Lee Equity Partners is a New York–based private equity firm that partners with strong management teams to build companies with high growth potential. Lee Equity targets equity investments of $50 to $150 million in middle market control buyouts and growth capital financings in companies with enterprise values of $100 million to $500 million that are located primarily in the United States. The firm invests in a range of industries where the team has deep relationships developed over decades, including financial, healthcare and business services, retail and consumer products, media, and specialty industrial/specialty distribution. www.LeeEquity.com
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50 STATES IN 40 DAYS:
40 Days for Life Coast-to-Coast
UNITED Bus Tour Includes Rally in Salt Lake City
WASHINGTON, DC — Recognizing the urgency for ending America’s abortion crisis, 40 Days for Life is launching an unprecedented 40-day bus tour to bring its message of hope to cities and towns across the United States that are united in prayer and fasting during this fall’s UNITED 40 Days for Life campaign, which runs from September 28 to November 6. The tour will hold a rally in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 12:00 PM on October 19. Every pro-life American is encouraged to visit 40daysunited.com to learn more and join the tour in their home town.
“Poll after poll reveals that an overwhelming majority of Americans feel our nation is on the wrong track,” said 40 Days for Life CEO David Bereit, “and when pressed, many respondents cite growing disillusionment with politics and government, along with frustration over increasing attacks against faith, family, religious freedom, and human life. It's time for this to change.”
The UNITED tour will make stops in more than 125 cities to hold rallies and prayer vigils that will encourage Christians to stand together for the sanctity of life across the nation. 40 Days for Life is joined by partner organizations for the tour: March for Life, Heartbeat International, Silent No More Awareness, Students for Life, and Susan B. Anthony List, along with numerous city and state pro-life coalition groups.
“Since 40 Days for Life started in 2007,” said 40 Days for Life president Shawn Carney, "we have recognized that although abortion is a national problem, it does not happen in the White House, in Congress, or in the Supreme Court. Abortion takes place in hometowns across America – and it will end, and is ending, in hometowns across America, one by one.”
Each 40 Days for Life campaign consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting, community outreach, and constant, peaceful vigil in the public right-of-way outside abortion facilities. The volunteers who pray at these vigils have witnessed answers to their prayers, including: 11,796 babies saved from abortion, 133 workers who have left the abortion industry, and 75 abortion centers which closed their doors forever following 40 Days for Life vigils.
“People of faith sometimes feel alone in their efforts to end abortion,” said 40 Days for Life North American campaign director Steve Karlen. “We can’t wait to hit the road with the UNITED tour to show that we are all in this together – and with God’s blessings, abortion in this country will come to an end.”
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Jake Wilkins at jwilkins@sbpublicaffairs.com or (703) 739-5920.
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Clark Planetarium Unveils Renovated, Reimagined Space Science Exhibits
Public invited to celebrate at “Ready, Set, Relaunch” Party with free shows and prize giveaways
Salt Lake City, UT – More than a year in the making, Clark Planetarium will unveil its renovated, reimagined space science exhibits to the public at its “Ready, Set, Relaunch” party on Saturday, October 22nd, 2016. In honor of the occasion, the public is invited for a ribbon cutting ceremony, free screenings of some shows, prize giveaways, free activities, and more.
“Ready, Set, Relaunch” begins with a ribbon cutting ceremony, featuring remarks by Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. The event will feature free, sponsored screenings of select films in the Orbital ATK IMAX Theatre and the Hansen Dome Theatre, with special random giveaways during all showings. Partygoers can also participate in a special “relaunch” craft activity on the third floor, or grab lunch at a food truck on 100 So. Additional information about select free screenings and how to obtain tickets can be found at http://readysetrelaunch.eventbrite.com/.
Clark Planetarium and Salt Lake County hope this event will reignite the community’s passion for space science and the science in our daily lives. “The renovation of our exhibits program has been more than a year in the making. We’re excited to share this moment with the public,” said Clark Planetarium Director Seth Jarvis. “These changes will provide an updated venue for our community to explore space science for years to come.”
WHAT: Ready, Set, Relaunch Party at Clark Planetarium
WHEN: Saturday, October 22nd, 2016
Press briefing, ribbon cutting ceremony, return of Moon rock 10:00am
Doors open to the public 10:30am
Free screenings in the Orbital ATK IMAX Theatre 11:00am – 12:59pm
Free screenings in the Hansen Dome Theatre 11:30am – 1:29pm
Food trucks from the Food Truck League 11:00am – 2:00pm
Free “relaunch” craft activity on the Third Floor 11:00am – 2:00pm
Free live presentation of “Night Vision” in the Hansen Dome Theatre 6:45pm
Free screening of Rock the Dome: Classic in the Hansen Dome Theatre 8:00pm
Special thanks go to Clark Planetarium’s community partners for their support in making this event possible: Vestar, Wells Fargo, Zions Bank, National Parks Conservation Association, KUTV2, Goldman Sachs, and City Weekly.
About Clark Planetarium
Clark Planetarium’s mission is to create and present stimulating educational programs that effectively share astronomy and space exploration information with Salt Lake County residents, Utah students, educators and families, and visitors from around the country and the world. For more information visit www.clarkplanetarium.org or follow Clark Planetarium on Twitter or Facebook.
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Landmark Appellate Court Decision Stops BLM Wyoming Wild Horse Wipeout
Ruling Blocks Agency from Treating Over 1 Million Acres of Public Lands as Private Lands in Pursuit of Wild Horse Roundups
Denver, CO (October 14, 2016) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit today issued a landmark decision that stops the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from wiping out wild horses from over one million acres of public land in the Wyoming Checkerboard. The ruling holds that BLM violated two federal laws in its conduct of a 2014 wild horse roundup that removed over 1,263 wild horses from the area, and means that the agency’s plan to round up 500 more horses from the Checkerboard beginning on October 18 is also illegal. Plaintiffs American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, The Cloud Foundation, Return to Freedom and photographers Carol Walker and Kimerlee Curyl and their attorney, Bill Eubanks of Meyer, Glitzenstein and Eubanks, are hailing the decision and its precedential implications for wild horse management throughout the western United States.
“This ruling throws a wrench into the backroom deal between the BLM and livestock grazing interests to eliminate federally protected wild horses from over one million acres of public land in Wyoming,” Eubanks said. “With this landmark decision, the Tenth Circuit has permanently stopped the BLM from treating public lands as private and eliminating wild horses from public lands based on a request from private landowners. This sets a major legal precedent across the West and protects wild horses from ranchers who want to eliminate these iconic animals from our public lands in order to put even more domestic cattle and sheep on these public lands to the detriment of the ecosystem.”
In its ruling issued today, the Tenth Circuit held that “the BLM violated both the [Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros] Act and FLPMA [Federal Land Policy Management Act] in carrying out the 2014 removal of wild horses from the Checkerboard.” The appellate court reversed the 2015 lower court ruling upholding BLM’s actions in the 2014 Checkerboard wild horse roundup.
Today’s decision is a closing chapter in an ongoing legal battle over the BLM’s plan to eradicate wild horses from a two-million-acre area of public and private land at the request of the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA). The RSGA owns or leases the private land blocks in the Checkerboard and views wild horses as competition for taxpayer subsidized livestock grazing on the public lands in the area.
Last week, the plaintiffs filed another lawsuit to block the agency from proceeding with the next Checkerboard roundup, set to begin on October 18.
This is the third major legal victory for the groups in just over a month. Earlier this week, the Tenth Circuit threw out a lawsuit by the State of Wyoming to compel the BLM to remove hundreds of wild horses from non-checkerboard public lands in that state. In a precedential ruling, the Tenth Circuit held that the BLM is not required to remove wild horses from public lands just because their populations exceed outdated population limits.
On September 9, the BLM cancelled plans to conduct cruel surgical sterilization experiments on wild mares in Oregon, citing a lawsuit filed by The Cloud Foundation and AWHPC as the reason.
LINKS:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling Oct. 14, 2016
MAJOR VICTORY FOR WILD HORSES: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT TOSSES STATE OF WYOMING’S ANTI-MUSTANG LAWSUIT
LAWSUITS & PUBLIC OUTRAGE HALT DANGEROUS BLM WILD HORSESTERILIZATION EXPERIMENTS
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