Cain Brothers Newsletters: Industry Insights
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Key Takeaways from ASRM
Last week, I attended the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Congress & Expo in San Antonio, Texas. This is one of the largest annual gatherings in the fertility industry in the U.S. and is largely attended by fertility clinics and provider networks, fertility benefit managers, providers (REIs, embryologists, genetic counselors, nurses), industry suppliers (pharma, MedTech, cryobanks), and other vendors within the fertility ecosystem. After visiting busy exhibit halls and having conversations with a diverse group of industry participants, there were some interesting takeaways coming out of the conference.
- Significant Buzz Around Potential Impact of President Trump’s Recent IVF Policy Proposal
- President Trump’s Proposal1: On October 16, 2025, President Trump announced actions to lower costs and expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and high-quality fertility care. This included (1) bringing most-favored-nation drug pricing to fertility, (2) expediting FDA review of new fertility drugs to deliver lower costs, and (3) expanding coverage for fertility benefits by issuing guidance to allow employers to offer standalone fertility benefits, similar to how dental and vision benefits are structured.
- Potential Impacts: While there continues to be uncertainty as the policy is still taking shape, this is a positive step towards increasing access to fertility treatment. There is potential for meaningful cost reduction through lower cost drugs. Fertility medication, for example, represents, on average, $6,000 of an approximately $20,000 IVF cycle.2 Under President Trump’s proposal, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that families can save up to $2,200 per cycle on fertility drugs.3 While this could put pressure on pharma manufacturers, fertility benefit managers and IVF clinics could see a positive net impact through higher volumes. However, this will depend on how many employers choose to offer fertility benefits, as it remains voluntary and the adoption rate is uncertain. Today, in the U.S., IVF is covered by 70% of jumbo employers and 47% of large employers, up from 62% and 45%, respectively, last year.4 President Trump’s proposal could enable broader IVF coverage among medium and small employers through the standalone excepted benefit route, as these employers have historically struggled to provide IVF coverage due to the high cost and administrative complexity.
- Increasing Number of Fertility/ReproTech Startups
- This year, ASRM launched its inaugural ASRM INNOVATE meeting, designed to bring together industry participants, thought leaders, and innovators to help drive advancements in reproductive medicine through cutting-edge science and technology. Many startups showcased their solutions in the ASRM exhibit hall, and the energy was real. Companies spanned the broader fertility ecosystem and included male fertility diagnostics, fertility financing, lab automation, AI-driven diagnostics and embryo selection, virtual care, cryobanking infrastructure (storage, tracking, logistics), fertility benefits, and at-home treatments and monitoring solutions, to name a few. The fertility industry needs innovation, and we expect more investment into fertility and reprotech. However, for startups to be successful, they will need to demonstrate real value (better clinical outcomes, cost reduction, increased accessibility) and that they can scale.
- Promise of AI Innovation in Improving Workflows and Clinical Outcomes
- In our discussions with industry participants, we were encouraged to see how clinics are increasingly leveraging AI to add efficiency to workflows and improve clinical outcomes. Some areas of note included: embryo selection to better predict implantation, automated imaging and tracking systems to drive more efficiency for embryologists and lab workflow optimization, chatbots and virtual assistants that drive better patient engagement, and leveraging predictive AI to price risk-based fertility financing packages. We are bullish on how AI can play a transformative role in the fertility industry.
Overall, I was encouraged to see the possibility of improved access, greater affordability, more efficiency, and better clinical outcomes. As the industry moves in this direction, I believe we’ll see more M&A and capital raising activity in the space. This will include further clinic consolidation to gain scale and efficiencies, clinic diversification strategies to add ancillary capabilities, emerging business models to address access and affordability, and increased venture and growth equity investment in fertility and reprotech companies. If you are interested in hearing more of our perspectives on the women’s health and fertility sector, feel free to reach out.
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