The process of getting screened for cervical cancer can be quite scary. It's a once-a-year, sometimes life-changing treatment, that involves the bright lights of a doctor's office and an uncomfortable admission that always seems to take too long.
It's no wonder why Kara Egan and Dr. Avnesh Thakor has the potential to make this process more comfortable for women. The two came together in 2020 and launched Teal Heatha company that shares resources about women's health and is looking to create products so women can perform cervical cancer screenings at home. It will 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 bullish on the idea. Today, Teal Health announced a $10 million seed extension led by Emerson Collective and Forerunner, bringing its total funding to $23 million. Other investors in the round were Serena Ventures and Chelsea Clinton.
“Cervical cancer screenings are the most important and often the entry point into 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 home use. A person can request an at-home collection kit, and the company will provide a telehealth visit, when a person receives the kit, they collect their vaginal sample with a teal wand, seal the sample, and send it off. in a Teal -approved lab. “Teal support is available to make sure we answer any questions you have along the way,” says Egan.
Cervical cancer used to be one of the most common cancer deaths for women, although more prevention and screening have helped to reduce it, according to the American Cancer Society. Over the past few years, this reduction has stabilized as more women are believed to be skipping preventive measures and screening.
“Women want to stay focused on their health check, but they're balancing,” Egan says. The white space market came at a good time — backing interest women's health companies has increased every year.
In fact, Egan calls her fundraising process “energizing.” He met his top investors through his professional network, especially as a former investor himself.
Teal Health will use the new 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 wonderful medical providers,” Egan said. “We are committed to our plans for scaling across the US”
There are many women's health companies in the area, but they don't necessarily provide a home device for cervical cancer. Teal's main competition is the typical OBGYN but the company hopes that providing a convenient alternative — meaning not having to schedule an appointment and go in person to see a clinician — will attract more customers to the product.
“Usual care is no longer working for women and we're seeing it through declining screening rates and rising cancer rates,” Egan said. “By making this critical preventive screening more accessible, comfortable, and convenient, we have the power to increase screening rates and work toward eliminating cervical cancer in the US.”
