Technology’s role is to modernize the way we do things and make life easier for people one step at a time. Teal Health has taken this philosophy to heart and aims to revamp a healthcare practice that hasn’t changed for eight decades.
The San Francisco startup announced an $8.8 million round of seed funding on Tuesday to build out its women-focused cancer screening solution.
Teal’s solution works to detect cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer for women across the globe. Typically, a woman will undergo a Pap smear, a screening process that involves collecting cells directly from her cervix. This procedure involves a clinician using stirrups and an inserted tool called a speculum. Women often consider the process to be uncomfortable for a number of reasons.
“The current cervical cancer screening, a critical piece of women’s health, is notoriously unpleasant and uses a speculum. Despite medical and technological advancements … the screening experience hasn’t been updated since the 1940s,” Kara Egan, Teal’s CEO, said in a statement. “At Teal we are working to increase access to this important screening by coupling at-home self-collection with a healthtech platform that ensures women are encouraged, supported and understood in the process.”
After requesting a collection kit from Teal, a patient will be able to perform the cervical cell collection themselves in the comfort of their home. The entire time, they’ll have access to live text, phone and video support, according to the company. After mailing the test back, the patient can schedule a time to discuss their results with a Teal clinician and receive recommended next steps and continuous support.
This system is designed to be more comfortable and convenient for women. As it stands, cancer screenings as a whole substantially decreased during the pandemic, meaning many women may not be up-to-date on their cervical cancer screenings. While late-stage cervical cancer diagnoses are increasing in the U.S., the condition is preventable if detected and managed effectively early on, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Teal hopes that by providing a more convenient way to detect cervical cancer early, the disease can eventually be completely eradicated. Its seed funding will help Teal further its work toward this vision.
The round came from investors including Emerson Collective and Serena Ventures. The capital will help Teal expedite product development and clinical testing. It will also go toward earning FDA approval for its solution.
