Lyra Health Raises $235M, Acquires ICAS World

Mental health benefits provider Lyra Health is making a habit out of starting the new year with a ton of momentum.

In January 2021, Lyra closed $187M in Series E funding and entered a partnership with ICAS World to bring its benefits overseas. This week, the company raised another $235M at a $5.58B valuation, while announcing the acquisition of ICAS World as it begins to make international expansion a top priority.

  • Lyra provides a suite of in-person and virtual behavioral health benefits to over 75 large employers, offering accessible treatments for conditions such as depression and anxiety that are often stigmatized in the workplace.
  • The latest raise pushes Lyra’s private funding total to $916M and ranks it among the most well-funded companies in one of the hottest corners of the digital health market. The timing follows Lyra’s September announcement of a trio of new solutions designed to address complex conditions such as alcohol use disorder and suicidality. 
  • ICAS World is a global employee assistance provider with a specialist network that offers “culturally responsive care” and localized support in more than 155 countries and 66 languages. 
  • The acquisition greatly expands Lyra’s worldwide reach, allowing it to provide mental health coaching, therapy, and medication within a single platform to over 10M global members. That’s a big jump from the 2.2M members covered by Lyra prior to the acquisition.

The Takeaway

Lyra’s employer-facing model has quickly gained traction in the US, but mental health challenges are hardly isolated to US-based employees. The WHO estimates that productivity losses due to depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1T annually. Mental healthcare is a global challenge, and the ICAS acquisition is a large step towards making Lyra a global solution.

Lyra Expands Into New Mental Health Conditions

Mental health benefits provider Lyra Health recently announced a trio of new solutions designed to address complex conditions such as alcohol use disorder and suicidality.

Lyra is seeking to effectively support the employees often overlooked by traditional health plans, such as those with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

The new offerings will launch in early 2022 and include:

  • Lyra Reset addresses problematic alcohol use through virtual therapy, group sessions, symptom assessments, peer support, and medication. Lyra Reset promotes a durable recovery by providing resources for the entire family.
  • Lyra Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicidality combines virtual therapy sessions with therapist-prescribed skill-building lessons to help patients decrease suicidal thoughts.
  • Lyra Concierge provides personalized support for children, adolescents, and adults who need help accessing specialized mental health support or rehabilitation facilities.

The Trend

Many new digital mental health companies are focusing primarily on patients suffering from depression and anxiety, a large market given the pandemic-fueled climb in mental health disorders. 

However, as these companies begin to mature (Lyra has raised $680m and is valued at $4.2b), many will expand into other serious conditions.

This trend has the potential to help patients find specialized care that fits their needs, while also supporting employers looking to maintain a healthy and productive workforce.

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