This first 5-minute report will be dedicated to one of our favorite topics in the world of women’s health: Contraception.
In the following 5 minutes you’ll learn:
Introduction: Why This Matters
Trends: What Opportunities Are There?
Startups: Who’s Innovating? So let’s dive right in!
Introduction:
Why this matters
Since its introduction, contraception has given couples a tool for family planning, but has also been central to advancing women’s empowerment, their educational, and economic opportunities. It has also been shown that choosing when to have children leads to better health outcomes for both mothers and infants. According to the WHO, among the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age globally, 1.1 billion have a need for family planning. Of these, 842 million are using contraceptive methods, and 270 million have an unmet need for 1 Given the big impact and need for birth control since its introduction in the 1960s, it is surprising how little innovation the space has seen in the past 50 years. Today there are various contraceptive methods:
- Birth Control Pills (Combined or progesterone only)
- Implants
- Injectables
- Contraceptive Patches
- Contraceptive Vaginal Rings
- Intrauterine Devices (hormone or copper)
- Male and Female Condoms
- Male and Female Sterilization
- Basal Body Temperature Method
- Emergency Contraception Pills
According to research by the CDC about 65% of women of reproductive age in the U.S. are using contraceptive methods. Female sterilization, the pill, the condom and long-acting reversible contraceptives are the most common methods these women reported currently using. 2 In this report we’d like to focus on three ways companies are looking to change the contraception space. Creating new ways to prevent pregnancies (innovation), helping women and men choose the right method of contraception (orientation), making it easier to access birth control (access).
The method of choice is highly influenced by social and demographic characteristics.
Trends: What opportunities are there?
Innovation In the innovation category we see startups who are creating new or better methods of contraception. These include non-hormonal birth control, male contraception, making currently available methods safer or more reliable.
Orientation Companies who focus on orientation help women choose the right method of contraception. Goal is to provide an overview of available methods, minimize side effects, up efficacy and provide guidance on which method best fits the individuals lifestyle and preferences.
Access Startups in the “Access” company focus on making access easier, more affordable and/or convenient.
Startups: Who’s Innovating
Innovation: YourChoice Therapeutics ($1.7M)
YourChoice Therapeutics is revolutionizing contraceptives for men and women by developing novel non-hormonal contraceptive products.
Innovation: Contraline ($11.9M)
Contraline is developing the first long-lasting reversible contraceptive for men.
Innovation: Daré Bioscience - Ovaprene ($3.6M)
Daré Bioscience is a healthcare company committed to the development and commercialization of innovative products.
Innovation: Evofem - Phexxi ($217.8M)
Evofem is a biotech company that develops reproductive and contraceptive care for women.
Innovation: Natural Cycles ($37.5M)
Natural Cycles is a contraceptive app that spearheads the development of digital contraception.
Innovation: OCON Healthcare ($19.5M)
OCON’s mission is to introduce innovative high-quality intrauterine drug-delivery technology to improve women’s health and quality of life.
Innovation: Inne (€8M)
Inne is a biotech startup building a hormone-based mini lab for women.
Innovation: Steadysense (€6M)
SteadySense is a startup that aims to set new standards in medical data collection.
Innovation: Mira ($4.3M)
Mira is an FDA and CE registered comprehensive women’s health and chronic disease monitoring platform with 99% of accuracy.
Innovation: Ovusense ($10.3M)
With its patented Core Body Temperature technology, OvuSense is a clinically proven monitor that helps women take control of their fertility.
Innovation: Tempdrop
Tempdrop is a smart sensor that turns a smartphone into a fertility monitor, making fertility tracking simple and convenient.
Innovation: Circle - OUI
OUI is a vaginal capsule that after insertion rapidly dissolves and releases the formulation. It is targeted to provide effective birth control a minute after insertion without use of hormones.
Innovation: Emme ($2.7M)
Emme is a healthcare technology company with a mission to put women’s health in women’s hands, starting with birth control.
Innovation: Aavia ($3.2)
Aavia is a female health and wellness company that improves female health and their wellness. The company has also developed a smart case for birth control pills.
Innovation: Adyn ($125K)
Adyn is a biotechnology company that focuses on designing safer birth control options.
Access: Pandia Health
Pandia Health is the only birth control delivery company led by a doctor.
Access: Twentyeight Health ($5.2M)
Twentyeight Health offers telemedicine services for women and aims to increase access to healthcare services.
Access: The Pill Club ($61.7M)
The Pill Club aims to make it really easy for individuals to obtain access to birth control.
Access: Nurx ($115.9M)
Nurx is a healthcare company offering at-home STI testing allowing treatment for genital and oral herpes and emergency contraception.
Access: Cadence Health ($10.7M)
Cadence, a pharma startup, aims to switch a birth control pill over-the-counter to create easy and affordable access to contraceptives.
Access: Simple Health ($26M)
Simple Health gives women access to birth control and other women’s health products with easy telemedicine tools and at home delivery.
Orientation: The Lowdown
The Lowdown is on a mission to change the way women choose, access and use their contraception.
Orientation: Pexxi
Pexxi provides tailored contraception that recognizes a woman’s unique hormonal, emotional and genetic needs.
Orientation: OvaryIt (N/A)
OvaryIt aims to help women take control of their contraceptive health by making it easy to access affordable, quality healthcare.
