Global Funding and Grants:
- NYU Langone Health’s Institute for Excellence in Health Equity has received US$12.5m for new digital intervention to address the “growing” maternal mortality crisis.
- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals have announced a $5M endowment from Ferring to ASRM.
- Allara, a virtual care platform serving women of reproductive age with chronic hormonal conditions, has announced a $10M Series A funding round led by GV (Google Ventures).
Global Companies:
- LactApp, a Barcelona-based startup known for its mobile breastfeeding apps, has expanded its footprint by opening the first in-person lactation care clinic. This move doesn’t just offer new solutions to new parents, but also marks the company’s first foray into brick-and-mortar healthcare services.
- Oula, a modern maternity care clinic combining the best of obstetrics and midwifery care, and Mount Sinai Health System, one of New York City’s largest academic medical systems, have announced the expansion of a successful partnership that began in 2021.
- Pharma company MEDICE Health Family has announced the acquisition of femfeel, a digital platform designed to support women through their menopause journey.
- Health Canada has granted approval to MYFEMBREE for the management of pain related to endometriosis and heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids in pre-menopausal women.
FemTech News:
- Driven by increasing focus on advancing women’s health and facilitating timely breast cancer diagnosis, India’s mammography equipment market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 12% between 2023 and 2033, as per a new release. India is the second largest market for mammography equipment in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for around 25% of the market in 2023.
- Study unveils ‘groundbreaking’ insights into metastatic breast cancer management. The study has shed light on the challenges of overtreatment and under-treatment in breast cancer management, in a move that could pave the way for a new era in cancer care.
- A new study conducted by US Fertility physicians studied the outcomes of more efficient protocols and found that quicker methods of thawing embryos can increase efficiency without compromising ongoing pregnancy rates.
- Pregnant women gaining more weight than that recommended are at a greater risk of death from heart disease or diabetes later in life, according to a study. The increased mortality risk was found for all weight groups studied, including those defined as underweight, normal or overweight prior to their pregnancies
- Advances in gynaecological cancer research could change the treatment landscape, researchers have said, allowing women struggling with these cancers to live longer. Novel findings will be revealed across the range of gynaecological cancers, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.
- A new study has shed light on the effects of the pandemic on women’s menstrual cycles, showing a significant correlation between the pandemic and changes in menstrual cycle characteristics, hormonal symptoms, and lifestyle habits.
- India has achieved a significant milestone in the field of contraception with the successful completion of clinical trials for the world’s first injectable male contraceptive, as announced by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
- World Health Organization (WHO), highlighted that half of the health facilities worldwide are bereft of basic hygiene essentials such as water, soap, or alcohol-based hand rubs at crucial points of care and toilets, thereby exposing approximately 3.85 billion individuals to heightened infections risks.
FemTech India Partner Company News:
- Lactamo has rolled out its hospital breastfeeding webinar series, supporting clinical and nursing teams, and patients.
- Sirona was recognized as the Wellness Partner at Global Women’s Health Innovation Conference, which was held in Bengaluru in October 2023.
- Anu Shenoy, founder of Veira Life participated in a Panel Discussion hosted at LinkedIn – Singapore on the subject of Conscious Parenting.
- Tammanna Singh, founder of Menoveda was featured on E-Times and she shared some common misconceptions and myths around menopause.
- Miyara hosted Dr. Sherryn Rambihar to deliver a talk on the topic of heart health and menopause.
- Swathi Kukarni, founder of Elda Health featured on CNBC TV to share some insights on “The State of Menopausal Health in India”a
Drugs, Diagnostics, and Pharma:
- The Apollo Hospitals Group has signed a MoU with the University of Leicester, which will strengthen existing links with the UK, to mutually promote international cooperation. This will also help explore collaborative education and research programmes, particularly in the fields of healthcare management, healthcare and data science
- MedBeat HealthConnect Plus, an artificial intelligence (AI) augmented healthcare application from AI4Rx, has been launched for clinics and the medical community.
- Samsung Biologics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and Kurma Partners, a European venture capital firm in healthcare and biotechnology, announced a strategic partnership for the development and manufacturing of biologics for Kurma Partners’ portfolio companies.
Government News:
- The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has released modifications in the operational guidelines for production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for pharmaceuticals elaborating the conditions for annual incentive allocations, clarifying timeline for periodic claims and procedures in case of change in the applicant group structure, among others.
- The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) with expertise into oncology and haematology therapeutic segments, recommended grant of permission to import and market Astellas Pharma’s cancer drug enfortumab vedotin powder for concentrate solution for infusion in India as monotherapy with waiver of local clinical trial.
Research, Insights, and Market Projections:
- IISER Bhopal researchers have developed a clear synthetic biomedical adhesive that can effectively seal and repair injured and dissected tissues. This adhesive, which is biodegradable and biocompatible, is capable of binding different surfaces such as tissues, bones, eggshells, and wood in both air and underwater and requires no additional crosslinking agents or metal ions.
- A new study has revealed that individuals with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and psychosis, face an increased risk of death from any cause after contracting Covid-19.
Jobs on Board:
- Rocket Health is looking for a Customer Success Associate. Rocket Health is a platform which provides healthcare for mental and sexual health.
- Newmi Care is looking out for Campus Ambassadors from Delhi for its Women’s Health Awareness Program. Newmi is India’s first omnichannel focused on women’s health and wellness.
- Allo Health is looking for a General Physician. Allo is India’s first digital health clinic for sexual wellbeing.
