Endometriosis, PCOS and Gynaecological cancers - 15 companies innovating in this space
Blog written by Anja Streicher
The first time I heard about endometriosis was the day when I was diagnosed with it. That was eight or nine years ago now and I still remember quite vividly the answer from the doctor when I asked him what the endometriosis was.
“Women who have endometriosis have difficulty conceiving” was his response.
Desperate, I went to Dr. Google right away to find out the experiences of other women and started opening up to my friends.
“Oh, I have endometriosis.”
“I have it as well.”
The more I started talking about it, the more I realized how many women were suffering from it. In silence.
Because for as long as I can remember I was told that some women just have painful periods, that that was normal, and that it was just the way it was.
I wish I could go back in time and tell to my younger self that everything was going to be alright, that I would be a happy mum of a beautiful girl, and tell her that the pain that she was going through is not normal and that she should look and look for help until she finds it.
There are so many women like myself, 190 million worldwide to be precise. There are 116 million women around the world affected by PCOS. There are approximately 100 000 women diagnosed with gyneacological cancer every year in the US alone. This is not a niche. Why do we then still feel lonely, neglected, misunderstood, and not taken seriously?
Endometriosis affects roughly 10% (190 million) of reproductive-age women and girls globally. It takes on average seven years to diagnose it and in the meantime, women are often dismissed, misdiagnosed, and misunderstood.
WHO reports that there are over 116 million women around the world who are affected by PCOS, the most common hormonal disorder.
There are five gynaecological cancers (Ovarian, Cervical, Uterine (womb), Vaginal and Vulval), but they are rarely discussed in the public. Gynaecological cancers have a devastating mortality rate of 37%, according to Lady Garden Foundation, and understanding the symptoms and early detection can save lives. That’s why more open conversation and education is needed.
The time has come to put these topics on the public agenda, to give women the information and education they need, and the healthcare they deserve.
Join us to find out how technology can help end suffering in silence from the founders and innovators who are pushing the frontiers of innovation and working on the solutions for female health issues that were neglected and under-researched for way too long.
On March 17, 2022, we are hosting a global virtual event “How technology can help end suffering in silence - Endometriosis, PCOS and Gynaecological cancers” where you will have the opportunity to hear from some of these companies and the work they’re doing, but there are so many more out there whom we couldn’t include in the event, but we felt they deserve the spotlight.
Meet them.
Endometriosis
1. DotLab is solving some of the world’s most difficult diagnostic challenges head-on via the latest advancements in multi-omics and computational biology delivering clinical innovations to areas of significant unmet need. Initially, the company is harnessing its expertise with the novel, cutting-edge biomarkers and the power of machine learning to deliver the first non-invasive tool to diagnose endometriosis, resulting in a paradigm shift in the identification and management of the disease.
2. Frendo is a smartphone app on a mission to help reduce the time to diagnose endometriosis through a breakthrough screening tool and prevent the progression rate of the disease that affects 1 in 9 people with periods. Frendo provides endometriosis patients - and those with suspected symptoms - with credible resources, helping users to manage their symptoms, find alternative treatment options and seek advice on how to talk to loved ones about endo, as well as improve their general wellbeing while living with a chronic illness.
3. Endometrix is an app that allows you to gain insight into how endometriosis or chronic period pain symptoms uniquely affect you to receive the care you deserve with the Endometrix app.
4. NextGen Jane is a data-driven women's health company that offers insight into a woman's reproductive health system. Armed with their Smart Tampon platform, their plan is to use blood squeezed from used tampons as a diagnostic tool. In that menstrual blood, they hope to find early markers of endometriosis and, ultimately, a variety of other disorders.
5. OCON Healthcare’s mission is to introduce innovative medical solutions that allow women healthier choices while improving their well-being and quality of life. They are developing the world’s first and only three-dimensional (3D) spherical intrauterine therapeutic-delivery technology to treat endometriosis, fibroids, uterine bleeding and more.
PCOS
1. Syrona Health is on a mission to democratise women's health in the workplace. They bring evidence-based research to the hands of women for various life stages be it Endometriosis, Fertility, PCOS, Cancer & Menopause through tracking, telemedicine, diagnostics, and self-management tools.
2. Pollie is redefining the patient experience for complex chronic conditions for females, starting with PCOS. The Pollie PCOS Program is designed to streamline your PCOS care, from curated labs to personalized symptom management strategies.
3. Imana Care offers daily digital and holistic help to women who are dealing with hormone imbalance. Imana Care's program is based on clinical studies proving the lifestyle impact on PCOS symptoms. This program was designed in collaboration with doctors and hormonal imbalance experts.
4. Allara is the first-ever all-in-one virtual expert care platform, combining lifestyle, nutrition, and medical expertise for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
5. Veera Health is on a mission to fix healthcare for women struggling with chronic conditions, starting with a digital platform to help treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Veera Health offers an app that combines evidence-backed therapy with coaching and specialist support.
Gynaecological cancers
1. AOA Dx is a biotech company focused on early-stage cancer detection. AOA partnered with a leading oncology researcher at McGill University to develop the first early-stage ovarian cancer liquid biopsy diagnostic test.
2. Curiva's mission is to provide customers with a non-invasive platform for diagnosing gynecologic malignancies such as cervical cancer. Their products allow doctors, healthcare professionals and patients to test in a sensitive way by delivering same-day analysis, and easier patient-centered results.
3. Celmatix is a preclinical-stage women’s health biotech company focused uniquely on ovarian biology. With a lead “pipeline-in-a-pill” AMHR2 program focused on ovarian senescence, and collaborations in PCOS and non-hormonal contraception with industry leaders, Celmatix is addressing areas of high unmet need by developing the next generation of interventions and pioneering advancements in ovarian health. Celmatix’s proprietary multi-omic ovarian health platform, the world’s largest of its kind, is the foundation of the company’s novel pipeline of first-in-class therapies.
4. Illumigyn incorporates existing machine vision technologies into a compact imaging colposcope for medical applications in an effort to eliminate the inherent subjectivity of cervical exams. Its Gynescope is a patented imaging colposcope that delivers 15-micron image resolution over a wide field of view and a range of working distances. TheGynescope also has multispectral illumination options, allowing early detection of cervical cancer while meaningfully reducing misdiagnoses. The Gynescope enables sophisticated imaging with simultaneous complex interventional procedures to support the best clinical outcomes.
5. Mobile ODT is an AI-based health-tech company that develops medical device technologies for cervical cancer screening. They are creating breakthrough optical diagnostic devices and software services focused on early cancer detection and, soon, a range of other medical purposes.
Join us on March 17, to discuss these and many other topics, and meet some of the most innovative companies in the space. Book your free ticket via the button below!
Many thanks to our program partners FemTec Health and Goodwin for supporting this event and our femtech program! ❤️
Find out more about FemTech Untapped here.