Telehealth staffing and providers firm Wheel will purchase GoodRx’s backend digital care know-how for $19.5 million in money. 

The deal, which is expected to close on the finish of the month, consists of GoodRx Care’s EHR, medical administration instruments and affected person expertise software program. 

Wheel will combine the tech into its digital care choices, although GoodRx will proceed to personal and function its consumer-facing telehealth web site and cell app. About 20 GoodRx workers will obtain affords to hitch Wheel. 

The businesses have labored collectively since 2020. GoodRx, which is finest recognized for its drug worth transparency choices, stated the acquisition will give it flexibility to proceed providing telehealth instruments. 

“We imagine Wheel is the perfect strategic companion for this acquisition,” Doug Hirsch, co-CEO and cofounder of GoodRx, stated in an announcement. “Wheel has supplied know-how and clinicians for GoodRx Look after a number of years, giving us excessive confidence of their capability to function and develop the platform. By getting into right into a long-term strategic association, we stay up for deepening our mutually-beneficial relationship. We’re excited to see how Wheel continues to leverage the superb instruments our workforce developed.”

THE LARGER TREND

This deal marks Wheel’s first acquisition. Based in 2018, the startup launched two years later alongside a $13.9 million Series A raise. In early 2022, Wheel introduced it had scooped up $150 million in Series C funding. 

Nonetheless, in August, Insider reported Wheel had laid off 35 employees, or about 17% of its workforce. Numerous digital well being and well being tech firms have announced layoffs this yr as investment dries up in contrast with the booming funding surroundings seen in 2021.

GoodRx reported its third quarter earnings this week, posting $187.3 million in income in comparison with $195.1 million in the course of the prior-year interval. Web loss was $41.7 million in comparison with a internet lack of $18.1 million in 2021, which GoodRx attributed to a previously mentioned subject with a nationwide grocery chain and bills associated to its vitaCare acquisition.

Adjusted EBITDA was $52 million in comparison with $61.8 million within the prior-year interval, which GoodRx stated was largely pushed by the grocery chain downside.

The corporate additionally laid off employees this yr, chopping approximately 16% of its staff. GoodRx lately launched a provider-facing drug-cost transparency platform that may also characteristic strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical firms.