In honor of National Women’s Health Week, we are highlighting startups focused on women’s health. These companies and these new devices help women stay healthy without draining their wallets. To find more about women’s health and National Women’s Health Week, check out #NWHW and #maternalhealth on Twitter, in addition to the following stories.
nVision Medical – ovarian cancer
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Founder and CEO Surbhi Sarna is dedicated to improving women’s healthcare, particularly when it comes to diagnosing ovarian cancer. To make this process easier, Sarna created a “pap smear-like and catheter-based” test to allow gynecologists to remove harmful cells without the possibility of spreading the disease. nVision also uses a hydraulically-propelled endoscope in order to find blockage in the fallopian tubes, helping prevent infertility. The endoscope can determine the nature of blockage in the tubes without exposure to the current system of radiation exposure through X-rays.
Eventus Diagnostics– breast cancer
EventusDx has come out with Octava Pink, a blood biomarker test that analyzes small blood samples to identify autoantibodies the immune system produces in the presence of tumor specific antigens. This technology could reduce false negative and false positive mammogram results. Company President Dr. Marvin Rosenberg claims that the device essentially double checks the work of mammograms and could possibly detect tumor cells before they are visible without using radiation.
This medical startup has created a device to allow women to test for HPV in a cost-effective manner. The device, HerSwab, is an angled tampon-shaped device that is used to collect a sample of the cervix area. CEO of Eve Medical, Jessica Ching, hopes high-risk women or women who aren’t regularly screened for HPV use the HerSwab then send the sample to a lab to be processed. This different way of collecting information allows women to stay healthy while saving time and money.
Scientists and researchers aren’t the only ones focusing on women’s health. In November two women launched a fund focused on companies working to make women’s healthcare better and more efficient.
eXXclaim – late-stage investment fund
Entrepreneurs with good ideas pertaining to improving women’s health should turn to Dr. Anula Jayasuriya and medical device leader Karen Drexler who launched the fund eXXclaim to support those intentions. By previously investing in two companies, the two are interested in more startups that require modest investments for developmental purposes and proof of concepts as well as spin-outs supported by data and a “good story.”
Jayasuriya says:
This is not a political action fund. Primarily we want to make money and returns and build successful companies. And secondarily perhaps, we can help change some of the perceptions about investing in women’s health.
