Debut of ixlayer on Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Businesses for 2023 Indicates a Dynamic Clinical Laboratory Test ‘Middleman’ Sector
Growth of the middleman company is a sign of increased credibility and acceptance among its client organizations
There’s a new category of player in the clinical laboratory testing industry. It is the “middleman” company. One high-profile example of a middleman company in diagnostics is the company ixlayer of San Francisco, which has a novel plan for growth.
The software developer provides cloud-based diagnostic testing platforms to retailers, health plans, and biopharma companies. Medical laboratory tests are not processed by ixlayer, however, but are instead sent to independent CLIA-certified clinical labs for completion and results reporting.
Thus, ixlayer acts as a third-party “middleman” in the lab testing chain.
Ixlayer recently debuted as number 1,418 on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the US, according to a company news release. Might this signal a dynamic and expanding clinical laboratory middleman sector?
There are a number of other established middleman companies doing this on the web as well, including:
- AnyLabTestNow.com,
- Testing.com, and
- Walkinlab.com, to name only a few.
Produced by Inc. Business Media, the Inc. 5000 list is based on data analysis of the fastest growing private businesses in the US. Ixlayer reportedly grew its 2023 revenue 100% year-over-year.
“To be selected for the Inc. 5000 list is an honor that validates the value we deliver while enabling greater access to care for all,” said Pouria Sanae (above), co-founder and CEO of ixlayer. “We’ve developed a platform that powers millions of diagnostic tests each year and serves as the backbone of thousands of health testing programs for trusted health brands, healthcare delivery organizations, payers, and life sciences companies. I’m excited about the future as we redefine and simplify the diagnostic laboratory testing ecosystem.” (Photo copyright: ixlayer.)
Ixlayer Works with Retailers, Insurers, Biopharma, and Clinical Labs
Ixlayer “facilitates” tests by working with industry partners and clinical laboratories, Managed Healthcare Executive explained.
One such relationship is with retailer CVS, Fierce Healthcare reported. Ixlayer provides the cloud-based diagnostics platform, at-home sample collection kits, and coordination of testing services for some of the pharmacy company’s at-home testing products. They include:
“With nearly 70% of medical decisions dependent on lab testing, regular diagnostic testing is a cornerstone of improving health and wellness,” Pouria Sanae, co-founder and CEO of ixlayer, told Drug Store News. “At-home testing enables people to proactively take control of their health, on their own schedule, in the privacy of their own home and on a regular basis. Our mission of creating a healthier world through more accessible, affordable, and easy health testing requires systemic changes and buy-in from key stakeholders and partners.”
Ixlayer directs specimens to independent labs that perform the tests and report results to consumers via an online portal.
“Founded in 2018, ixlayer initially focused on remote lab testing for Alzheimer’s disease patients. The company now offers thousands of white-labeled, at-home, and onsite health tests ranging from women’s wellness to sexually transmitted diseases and chronic condition management,” the news release notes.
“We’re thinking of it more from the perspective of: How do we infiltrate this infrastructure into our whole healthcare ecosystem? How do we let traditional providers run their programs the way they want to?” Alecia Pritchett, ixlayer Chief Growth Officer, told Managed Healthcare Executive.
Ixlayer “is not a lab,” Managed Healthcare Executive explained. “It describes itself as a platform. Instead of performing its own lab tests, it connects providers and retailers to accredited laboratory partners. Instead of sending out its own team of phlebotomists to collect blood samples, the company coordinates with mobile phlebotomy firms.”
“This comprehensive data visualization solution provides a more insightful analysis of testing performance data, empowering health plans, retailers, and biopharma organizations to monitor and manage progress in real-time effectively. With this actionable intelligence, decision-makers can focus on addressing gaps in care, accelerating access to critical drug studies, and promoting greater health equity to improve clinical and quality outcomes and economics across the healthcare ecosystem,” said David Yu, Chief Product Officer at ixlayer, in a news release.
Any Lab Test Now Also Makes Inc.’s 5000 List
Also making the 2023 Inc. 5000 list is Any Lab Test Now, an Alpharetta, Ga.-headquartered laboratory franchise that was founded in 2007. Any Lab Test Now is another form of middleman company which bills itself as the nation’s first direct access lab testing service with 200 locations. This is Any Lab Test Now’s second consecutive year on the list, according to a news release.
Unlike ixlayer, Any Lab Test Now’s business model features independently owned and operated locations around the US. Customers go online to choose a testing location, pay for tests, and schedule an appointment. Tests include:
- General health and wellness panels,
- Pregnancy,
- HIV,
- Drug screening,
- Paternity and more.
At-Home Testing Market Growing
Allied Market Research reported that the global at-home testing market is expected to grow by about 10.5% annually from 2022 to 2031, when it will reach $45.5 billion.
Another middleman company offering at-home tests is Everlywell of Austin, Texas. Other middleman companies that enable consumers to order tests online and then visit a local clinical laboratory for specimen collection include Testing.com and Walk-In-Lab.com.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for at-home sample collection testing has grown steadily. Dark Daily has covered this in numerous ebriefs. That middleman companies are showing up on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies indicates that the middleman sector of the clinical laboratory testing industry is growing as well.
—Donna Marie Pocius
Related Information:
ixlayer Joins the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America
2023 Inc. 5000 List Company Profile: ixlayer
Health Tech Startup ixlayer Partners with CVS on Home Health Tests
Any Lab Test Now Lands on Prestigious Inc. 5000 for Second Consecutive Year
What’s Next for At-home Diagnostic Testing: Four Trends to Watch in 2024
