Virtual care company Synapticure has secured $25 million in Series A funding to expand its platform providing care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, a health issue that disproportionately impacts women both as patients and caregivers. The round was led by B Capital, with participation from CommonSpirit Health, CVS Health Ventures, Google Ventures, Optum Ventures, Rock Health Capital, RA Capital Management, and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures.
The gender disparity in neurodegenerative diseases is stark: approximately two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women, a difference that cannot be explained by longevity alone. Research suggests biological factors, including hormonal changes during menopause, may play a crucial role in disease development and progression.
This healthcare burden extends beyond patients to caregivers, where women also shoulder a disproportionate responsibility. The company aims to address this dual challenge through its virtual care platform, which provides access to expert neurologists, cutting-edge treatments, clinical trials, and crucially, wraparound support services for caregivers.
The funding comes at a critical time, as more than 10 million people across the United States are affected by neurodegenerative diseases, with numbers expected to rise as the population ages. Synapticure’s platform aims to eliminate traditional barriers to care – patients currently wait more than six months for specialist appointments, often leading to delayed diagnosis and missed treatment opportunities. The company has reduced this wait time to just two weeks.
The new investment will support Synapticure’s expansion of partnerships with healthcare providers and payers, including their selection as a CMS GUIDE provider for improved dementia care across all 50 states in the U.S. The company also plans to accelerate clinical research and expand patient access to emerging treatments and trials, addressing another critical gender gap – women’s historical underrepresentation in neurodegenerative disease research.
“As a caregiver for the last seven years, I’ve experienced firsthand how overwhelming it can be to carry the weight of someone else’s well-being while navigating the complexities of care and treatment,” stated Sandra Abrevaya, CEO of Synapticure, in the funding announcement. “For too long this struggle has been accepted as just another part of life, but Synapticure refuses to accept that.”
