The cervical cancer screening process is quite intimidating. It’s the once-a-year, sometimes life-changing treatment that involves the bright lights of a doctor’s office and an awkward introduction that always seems to take too long.
No wonder Kara Egan and Dr. Avnesh Thakor saw the potential to make this procedure more comfortable for women. The two came together in 2020 and released Teal Heatha company that shares women’s health resources and wants to create products so women can get cervical cancer screenings at home. It would be a first-of-its-kind product and is awaiting FDA approval.
The company came out of stealth mode in January 2023 and began clinical trials in November.
Investors seem positive about the idea. Today, Teal Health is announcing a $10 million seed round led by Emerson Collective and Forerunner, bringing its total funding to $23 million. Other investors in the round include Serena Ventures and Chelsea Clinton.
“Cervical cancer screenings are the most important and often the entry point in a women’s health relationship,” Egan, co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch. “More than 1 in 4 women are currently missing out on this life-saving screening.”
Pending FDA approval, Teal Health will release the Teal Wand for home use. A person will be able to request a home collection kit and the company will provide a telehealth visit, after a person receives the kit, collects their vaginal samples using the Teal Wand, seals the sample and sends it to a Teal – approved laboratory. “Teal support is available to make sure we answer any questions you have along the way,” Egan said.
Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common cancer deaths for women, although more prevention and screening has helped to reduce it. according to the American Cancer Society. In recent years we have seen these declines stabilize as more women are believed to be skipping prevention and screening measures.
“Women want to monitor their health, but they balance a lot,” Egan said. This white space in the market came at a good time — interest in support women’s health companies has increased every year.
In fact, Egan called her fundraising process “energizing.” She met her main investors through her professional network, especially as she was a former investor herself.
Teal Health will use the new capital to support the launch of the Teal Wand.
“This funding will help us further enhance our robust telehealth platform, patient portal, educational resources and customer support tools, as well as continue to grow our team of amazing medical providers,” said Egan. “We are focused on our plans to scale up in the US”
There are many women’s health companies in the area, but they are not necessarily looking to provide an at-home device for cervical cancer. Teal’s main competition is the typical OB/GYN, but the company hopes that providing a convenient alternative — meaning you don’t have to schedule an appointment and go in person to see a clinician — will attract more customers to the product. .
“Standard care is no longer working for women, and we’re seeing that through declining screening rates and rising cancer rates,” Egan said. “By making this critical screening more accessible, comfortable and convenient, we have the power to increase screening rates and work to eliminate cervical cancer in the US.”
