Welcome to issue #169 of FutureFemHealth (w/c October 26 2026) — your weekly briefing on the global women’s health market.
Lots of fertility news this week, with the annual ASRM conference bringing a wave of research and innovation announcements. That includes a major deal too, with Ferring agreeing to acquire Gameto in a transaction worth up to $1.38bn. Plenty to catch up on!
🌟 In this week’s briefing:
💰 A $1.38bn fertility deal: Ferring agrees to acquire Gameto.
🍼 Willow expands beyond breast pumps with two more acquisitions.
💍 Could a smart ring help predict preterm birth? Oura launches new research.
🔬 New on Pro: Mapping the next generation of preeclampsia innovation.
Share your news: anna@futurefemhealth.com
But first…
New on FutureFemHealth Pro: Mapping the preeclampsia innovation landscape.
There’s been a flurry of developments in preeclampsia over September and October, from new funding and research to advances in predicting and detecting the condition.
So I thought it was a good time to take a closer look at what’s happening across the sector. Who’s developing new solutions, how far along are they, and where are the gaps?
Our latest Pro analysis maps the companies and technologies working across prediction, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, and explores why better diagnostics alone won’t be enough.
💰 Capital flows
📌 GLOBAL: Ferring Pharmaceuticals to acquire Gameto in deal worth up to $1.38bn. In one of the biggest women’s health deals of the year, Swiss pharmaceutical group Ferring has agreed to acquire US biotech Gameto. Its Fertilo technology could reduce the hormone injections women need during IVF by helping immature eggs mature outside the body. The deal brings a new approach to fertility treatment into the portfolio of an established reproductive medicine giant. Gameto is also developing technologies targeting ovarian ageing and menopause. The $1.38bn maximum includes future milestones, with the upfront payment undisclosed. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 US: Willow acquires two maternal health startups following Elvie deal. Breast pump pioneer Willow is building a much broader maternal health business - assembling all sorts of products, services and education around infant feeding. Just a year after acquiring UK-based Elvie, it has now bought Swehl, which provides breastfeeding education and community support, and Momtech, which develops technology to help babies transition between breast and bottle. Willow has also launched an education hub, Willow World, and appointed Carolin Archibald as CEO. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
📌 US: Labcorp to acquire Myriad Genetics’ prenatal testing business for $210m. Another deal in women’s health diagnostics, with Labcorp agreeing to acquire Myriad’s prenatal genetic screening portfolio, including Prequel and Foresight. The business has served more than 600,000 patients over the past year and is expected to generate around $160m in annual revenue. The sale will allow Myriad to focus on cancer diagnostics while expanding Labcorp’s prenatal testing business. Completion is expected by early 2027, subject to regulatory approval. (Continue reading: Labcorp)
🌟 Industry moves and strategic shifts
📌 UAE: Oura and Abu Dhabi launch study into early warning signs of preterm birth. Could a smart ring help identify the early warning signs of premature labour? Oura and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health have launched Project CRADLE, a two-year study exploring whether changes in heart rate, sleep and activity could help identify women at risk. Researchers will follow women with higher-risk pregnancies, combining wearable data with clinical outcomes. Results are expected in 2028. This project is part of a broader partnership between Oura and Abu Dhabi announced back in May. (Continue reading: Oura)
📌 UK: U-Ploid reports early results for technology targeting age-related egg quality. Chromosome errors in eggs are a major reason why female fertility declines with age, yet our current approach during IVF is to screen for issues. U-Ploid Biotechnologies is instead aiming to prevent these errors with its treatment. In early laboratory tests presented at ASRM, 66% of treated eggs had the correct number of chromosomes, compared with 36% of untreated eggs. (Continue reading: U-Ploid)
📌 US: UCSF and Conceivable to explore automated IVF laboratories. IVF automation could help address issues with the cost of fertility treatment as well as capacity and consistency. From handling eggs to supporting embryo development, Conceivable has already tested its automation technology in early pilot work. Now its teaming up for a new research centre in San Francisco with UCSF. Looking ahead, we need to see if this sort of automation can actually improve outcomes too. (Continue reading: UCSF–Conceivable)
🩸 Research and women’s health news
📌 US: Heart health experts call for women’s reproductive history to be part of cardiovascular care. Could a woman’s periods, pregnancy complications or menopause help doctors identify her risk of heart disease earlier? Four leading US medical organisations, including the American Heart Association and ACOG, have published a joint framework calling for reproductive and cardiovascular care to be better connected throughout women’s lives. The proposals also include earlier prevention and a network of specialist women’s heart health centres. (Continue reading: American Heart Association)
📌 ISRAEL: Sheba Medical Center receives $6m grant to study ovarian ageing and women’s health. What happens to the ovaries as women go through menopause, and how does this affect the rest of the body? A new three-year study funded by Nuttall Women’s Health will follow 650 women aged 40–75, examining how ovarian ageing relates to changes in cardiovascular, cognitive, metabolic and bone health, among other areas. The OASIS study aims to identify early biomarkers of ovarian ageing and potential targets for treatments that could help women stay healthier for longer. (Continue reading: Sheba Medical Center)
📌 UK: Prescriptions for newer endometriosis treatments nearly triple following NHS recommendations. More women in England are accessing newer oral treatments for endometriosis, following NICE decisions to recommend them for NHS use in 2025. According to The Times, monthly prescriptions for relugolix combination therapy and linzagolix rose from around 4,100 in April 2025 to 12,000 in March 2026. The figures offer an interesting example of how reimbursement decisions can translate into greater access to treatment. (Continue reading: The Times)
📄 Policy watch
📌 US: More than 900 pregnancy-related criminal cases brought in three years after Roe v. Wade overturned. New research from Pregnancy Justice has identified at least 902 prosecutions across 23 states between June 2022 and June 2025 involving pregnancy, pregnancy loss or birth. Most concerned alleged substance use during pregnancy, with prosecutors generally using existing child abuse and neglect laws rather than abortion bans. The findings include 70 cases involving miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death, and 77 where lack of prenatal care was cited. Researchers believe the true total is likely higher. (Continue reading: Pregnancy Justice)
📆 Save the date
UK: Rules of reproduction - who gets to build the future of fertility? London. November 3. 👉 Register here.
CANADA: Annual Femtech Canada Forum. Toronto. November 3. 👉 Register here. Use code FTC_25promo for 25% off tickets.
CANADA: Women’s Health Investor Networking Event. Toronto. November 9. 👉 Register here.
FRANCE: Women’s Health Europe Forum. Paris. November 27. 👉 Register here
That’s all for this week. If you found this briefing useful, please forward it to someone working in women’s health.
Anna
PS - even more from FutureFemHealth….
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This newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or financial advice.