Issue #118 – Science, Technology, and Spirituality Take Center Stage at the First-Ever Gender and Technology Conference

I’m writing  from the beautiful “God’s Own Country” Kerala India, where I’m honored to represent women’s health at the first-ever Gender and Technology Summit hosted by Amrita University in collaboration with UNESCO, BlackRock, and Google. 

This groundbreaking event has brought together global leaders from 10+ countries, government officials, innovators, students, and changemakers to explore the intersection of gender and technology, driving conversations that matter. It’s an honor to contribute to this important dialogue and amplify the voice of women’s health in such a powerful forum. 

It’s been an amazing experience so far, and I also had the chance to meet Amma Mata Amritanandamayi, hearing her inspiring journey on women’s empowerment and gender equity. 

For more updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses, be sure to follow me here. I’ll also be sharing a detailed breakdown of the key takeaways on LinkedIn soon—stay tuned!

• India to cross 900 million internet users this year: IAMAI report.
•  TikTok prepares to shut down apps in the US on Sunday. 
• Indian cosmetics outshine fashion as regional markets boom. 
• Maybe founders are the best investors.

• D2C skincare brand Foxtale has raised $30 million in its series C funding round from KOSÉ Corporation, and existing investors Panthera Growth Partners, Z47, and Kae Capital. The Mumbai-based company has also partnered with Japanese multinational firm KOSÉ Corporation, which manufactures cosmetics, and beauty and personal care products.

• Peregrine Health, a Nashville, TN-based provider of behavioral health solutions accelerate its mission to improve access to behavioral health care in underserved communities. The round was led by BIP Ventures, Martin Ventures, and Chapman Capital.
• VisiRose, a Knoxville, TN-based clinical-stage biotechnology company, raised $3M in Seed funding.
• GT Medical Technologies, a Tempe, AZ-based medical device company, raised $37M in Series D funding.
• Micron Biomedical, an Atlanta, GA-based life science company developing a needle-free technology for drugs and vaccines that is based on dissolvable microarrays, raised $16m extending its Series A funding to over $33M.
• NEURA Robotics, a Metzingen, Germany-based cognitive and humanoid robotics company, raised €120M in Series B funding.
• Xuron, a Dover, DE-based healthcare technology company, received an investment from 3LS Ventures. The amount of the deal was not disclosed.
• Upward Health, a NYC-based in-home, multidisciplinary medical group providing 24/7 whole-person care, raised $12.5M in debt funding from Trinity Capital.
• Owlstone Medical, a Cambridge, UK-based company which specializes in Breath Biopsy® for applications in early disease detection and precision medicine, announced a first closing of $27M in its Series E funding.
• Verdiva Bio, a London, UK-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, raised over $410M in Series A Funding.
• Nelly, a Berlin, Germany-based health and fintech company, raised €50M in funding.
• Teal Health has secured $10 million in additional seed funding to support the launch of the Teal Wand, which is set to become the first FDA-approved at-home cervical cancer screening device in the US market.

• A recent study involving over 5,800 mother-child pairs from China has found that increased exposure to air pollution in the months prior to pregnancy is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk factors in children up to two years after birth. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, highlights the importance of minimising air pollution exposure before conception to reduce the risk of childhood obesity.
• A recent study has revealed that analysing blood vessels in the retina can predict the risk of stroke with the same accuracy as traditional risk factors, such as high cholesterol. This innovative approach eliminates the need for invasive lab tests, making it an ideal screening tool for primary healthcare and low-resource settings.
• Melatonin supplements not a magic solution for sleep disorders, experts warn. While melatonin supplements may be helpful in some cases, they should not be relied upon as a magic solution for sleep disorders
• Cancer has emerged as the fastest-growing ailment in India, with its incidence rate increasing by 10-12% year-on-year, according to the Indian Healthscape 2024 analysis by health benefits administrator Medi Assist. The data reveals that cancer incidence, measured as a percentage of claims relative to the overall insured population, rises significantly after the age of 40, with a steeper increase observed among women. 
• A recent study has found that taking the GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) class of anti-obesity drugs is associated with lower rates of post-surgery complications in patients with diabetes. These medications, which help treat diabetes through weight loss, improved blood glucose levels, and increased insulin sensitivity, may also reduce the risk of hospital re-admission and certain surgical complications.
•  A popular diabetes drug can provide protection against skin cancers, a new study says. Metformin significantly reduces people’s risk of developing basal cell cancers or squamous cell cancers, the two most common skin cancers, researchers found in a recent study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
• People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are plagued by unwanted and distressing memories over which they have little to no control. Doctors now think they understand why PTSD patients and others aren’t able to keep troubling memories at bay.
• The way obesity is diagnosed needs to become more sophisticated, an international commission has concluded. Using body-mass index (BMI) to tell who is overweight or obese is not reliable, and can result in misdiagnosis, the Commission on Clinical Obesity says in a new paper published today in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
• Researchers have discovered how specific protein regions contribute to breast cancer, potentially paving the way for new treatment. The discovery also offers scientists new tools and ideas beyond breast cancer, as similar protein regions are involved in many other diseases.
• Machine learning models can more quickly and affordably identify women with severe subjective cognitive decline during the menopause transition, effectively opening the door to better management of cognitive health, a new study suggests.
• A treatment for breast cancer-related vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – known as hot flashes – has seen positive Phase 3 trial results in women with breast cancer or at high risk of developing breast cancer.
• A clinical trial has found that, in patients with high-risk HER2-positive breast cancer, post-surgery, or adjuvant, treatment with trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) reduced the long-term risk of death or invasive disease by 46 per cent and improved survival compared to trastuzumab alone.
• The distance between a patient’s home and an abortion-services facility where they would seek care significantly influences how they receive birth-control medications, according to a new study.
• A new set of guidelines has been developed to assist with the diagnosis and expert management of serious blood cancers in pregnancy, with an Australian working group having published a position statement based on current evidence and expert consensus.

• LOLA, known for organic feminine care and reproductive wellness products, has announced its expansion into postpartum care with a new line of products available at Walmart stores nationwide and on mylola.com.
• BAIBYS, an Israeli startup specializing in AI-powered micro-robotics for fertility treatment, has received CE mark approval for its autonomous sperm selection system. The certification will allow the company to commercialize its technology across European fertility clinics.
• GSK plc and IDRx, Inc. (IDRx) announced that they have entered into an agreement under which GSK will acquire IDRx, a Boston-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing precision therapeutics for the treatment of GIST.
• Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) announced the launch of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Minzoya (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, USP and ferrous bisglycinate tablets), 0.1 mg/0.02 mg and 36.5 mg.
• Aragen, a globally renowned contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), announced that it has secured a $100 million investment from Quadria Capital, an Asia healthcare-focused Private Equity fund. The investment will result in Quadria acquiring a minority stake in Aragen, at an approximate valuation of USD 1.4 billion, primarily through a fresh capital infusion, with a small portion from the sale of shares by existing investors.
• GenSight Biologics, a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, announced the publication of outcomes data from five years’ follow-up of patients treated unilaterally with Lumevoq
• Glaukos Corporation, an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and medical technology company focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases, announced several positive clinical updates for its iDose sustained-release procedural pharmaceutical platform
• ACT, an Indian venture philanthropy platform, has committed Rs. 8.33 crore in catalytic grants to Khushi Baby and Medoplus; social startups that are pioneering tech-first solutions to revolutionise rural healthcare in India. Given that 73% of the country’s population struggles to access basic healthcare services, these digital health solutions are uniquely poised to bridge the access to affordability gap, bringing essential medical services directly to underserved communities.
• Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Vivoryon), a clinical stage company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule medicines to modulate the activity and stability of pathologically altered proteins, provided an update on the company’s progress of varoglutamstat development in kidney disease and efforts to solidify its QPCT/L inhibitor pipeline in inflammatory and fibrotic diseases.
• MedMira Inc. (MedMira) announced that it has received the approval from Health Canada for its Reveal Rapid G4 HIV-1/2 Test (Reveal HIV test) for Point-of-Care (POC) use. The Reveal HIV rapid test has achieved a sensitivity of 99.64% and a specificity of 99.71% and with it is highly suitable for health care professionals who require a fast, reliable, and high-quality result to be used in any health care setting.
• Illumina, Inc., a global leader in genomic sequencing and analysis, announced it is collaborating with NVIDIA to advance technology platforms for the analysis and interpretation of multiomic data, accelerating progress in clinical research, genomics AI development, and drug discovery.

• A Parliamentary panel has sought the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers to facilitate attractive duty concessions and reasonable reduction in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates in consultation with other stakeholders to keep boosting the domestic manufacturing of medical devices.
• The expectations of the Indian pharma industry from the Union Budget 2025 revolve around incentivising research, streamlining taxation frameworks, and fostering regulatory ease to bolster the sector’s growth and resilience in an evolving global landscape, says an expert from the business consulting and research firm Praxis Global Alliance.
• From investments in infrastructure and technology to policy reforms, healthcare leaders and industry stakeholders have shared their collective insights and outlined a transformative roadmap for India’s growth story in pharma and healthcare systems. As India gears up for the Union Budget 2025-26, their expectations and solutions are poised to address critical gaps in both the booming sectors.

📳 – Quick Reads: 

• Teen Stress Is Expensive, Experts Say — So How Can We Reduce It? Stressed-out teenagers appear to be dragging down the U.S. economy, a new study says.
• Red Meat, Dementia: The Surprising Link: Steak, hamburgers, beef ribs and hot dogs are bad for the aging brain.
• Drinking Alcohol Is Linked to Health Risks, Says Report: A new federal report warns that drinking alcohol could raise your risk of dying early.

See you next Friday, friends 👋
Navneet

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