The First At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Kit Comes To Market As Teal Health Raises $10M

'We’re here to create a new path forward, enabling women to take control of their health with confidence and ease.'

Women’s health company Teal Health has received $10 million in funding to launch the first at-home cervical cancer screening kit, the Teal WandTM, according to a press release.

The investment, with a partnership led by Emerson Collective and Forerunner, brings the company’s total funding to $23 million, helping to advance its product development and plans to go-to-market.

In May 2024, Teal Health was awarded a $1.68 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute and FDA Breakthrough Device Designation.

“This investment allows us to bring Teal Health’s vision to life, getting our transformational screening solution into the hands of women. We’re here to create a new path forward, enabling women to take control of their health with confidence and ease,” Kara Egan, the company’s CEO, said.

The Teal Wand, upon FDA approval, will allow a person to request the home collection kit. Following an order, the company will provide a telehealth visit and guide the patient to collect their vaginal samples using the Wand. According to TechCrunch, the sample will then be sealed and shipped to a Teal-approved lab.

Launched in 2023, Teal Health addresses the harsh realities that 92 million women and people with cervix live with. Due to limited access and discomfort from the exam, one in four don’t regularly go through screening. The American Cancer Society once labeled cervical cancer as one of the most common cancer deaths for women, but prevention and screening brought these numbers down. But as prevention and screening measures have gone down, numbers have increased in the last few years.

“There is no shortage of reasons for wanting to improve the traditional healthcare system, but one unequivocal truth is that many healthcare experiences are not built with the end consumer as the primary customer,” Nicole Johnson, Forerunner partner, said. “This feels especially true for women’s health, despite women accounting for 80% of healthcare spending.”

During Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Teal Health will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society for each person with a cervix that pledges to have a screening.