Fertility testing startup to establish $1.4M Albemarle HQ

Life sciences startup PS-Fertility Inc. will invest $1.4 million to establish its headquarters and operations in Albemarle County and plans to create 31 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday.

PS-Fertility Inc. will commercialize a male fertility diagnostic technology that was originally developed at the University of Virginia. The company will lease 4,000 square feet at 3030 Vision Lane in Charlottesville to serve as its headquarters and house a test kit assembly operation and a diagnostic lab.

“Virginia continues to advance as a hub for cutting-edge research and development, and we are proud that this technology developed at one of our leading universities will have positive ripple effects on the life sciences industry in the commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Startups and small businesses are critical to Virginia’s future, and PS-Fertility is a homegrown success story that reinforces our commitment to providing an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.”

PS-Fertility Inc.’s product tests for the presence of a biomarker on sperm cells necessary for fertilization. It will use an at-home sample collection model, and clients will mail samples to the Albemarle County lab.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Albemarle County to secure the project for Virginia and will provide employee recruitment and training funding and services to PS-Fertility through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“The Virginia Economic Development Partnership comprehensively met our company’s needs, recognizing that this valuable scientific discovery made at the University of Virginia has significant benefits for people interested in reproductive health as well as to the state’s economy,” PS-Fertility CEO Kevin Combs said in a statement. “As a result, we anticipate launching our company’s advanced testing platform to measure and analyze male fertility levels in the very near future.”