The process of getting screened for cervical cancer 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 uncomfortable insertion that always seems to last too long.
It’s no wonder why Kara Egan and Dr. Avnesh Thakor saw the potential to make this process more comfortable for women. The two came together in 2020 and launched Teal Heath, a company sharing resources about women’s health and looking to create products so women can conduct 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 that November.
Investors seem bullish on the idea. Today, Teal Health announces a $10 million seed extension 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 to a women’s health relationship,” Egan, co-founder and CEO, told TechCrunch. “More than 1 in 4 women are currently behind on this life-saving screening.”
Pending FDA approval, Teal Health will release its Teal Wand for at-home use. A person will be able to request an at-home collection kit, and the company will provide a telehealth visit, once a person receives the kit, they collect their vaginal samples using the teal wand, seal the sample, and ship it to a Teal-approved lab. “Teal support is available to ensure 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, though more prevention and screening helped to decrease this, according to the American Cancer Society. The past few years have seen these decreases stabilize as it is believed more women skip out on prevention and screening measures.
“Women want to stay up on their health screening, but they are balancing a lot,” Egan said. This white space in the market has come at a good time — interest in backing women’s health companies has increased every year.
In fact, Egan called her fundraising process “energizing.” She met her lead investors through her professional network, especially as she was formerly an investor herself.
Teal Health will use the fresh capital to support the launch of its 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 phenomenal medical providers,” Egan said. “We’ve focused on our plans for scaling across the U.S.”
There are many women’s health companies in the area, but not necessarily looking to provide an at-home device for cervical cancer. Teal’s main competition is the standard OBGYN but the company is hoping that providing a comfortable alternative — meaning not having to schedule an appointment and go in person to see a clinician — will attract more customers to the product.
“The standard care is no longer working for women and we are seeing this through the declining screening rates and increasing rates of cancer,” Egan said. “By making this critical preventive screening more accessible, comfortable, and convenient, we have the power to increase screening rates and work towards eliminating cervical cancer in the US.”
