Boston-based Heranova Lifesciences, a women’s healthcare company focusing on reproductive health, pregnancy and menopause, announced its launch with $13.5 million in seed and seed+ funding.
Emerging Technology Partners, Pivotal bioVenture Partners China, Sinovation Ventures and Triwise Capital participated in the round.
WHAT IT DOES
The company, which also has a presence in China, offers diagnostic testing and therapeutics for endometriosis and a non-antibiotic vaginal bacteria therapeutic for bacterial vaginosis. It also provides a genetic test as well as endometrial receptivity and microbiome trio test for female fertility.
Heranova will use the funds to launch several non-invasive endometriosis tests and progress two therapeutic programs for bacterial vaginosis and endometriosis.
“Having access to convenient and reliable diagnostic tests will be a key milestone in the overall management of endometriosis and other women’s diseases,” Dr. Farideh Bischoff, chief diagnostic medical officer at Heranova, said in a statement.
“The diagnostic products developed by our R&D team have received endorsement from global leading KOLs as they may help to significantly shorten the time from disease onset to diagnosis and subsequent treatment. To provide an integrated solution, we are also developing first-in-class, non-hormonal therapeutic programs for endometriosis.”
MARKET SNAPSHOT
Women’s health tech still makes up a relatively small portion of overall digital health funding, and the sector is ripe for investment.
Other companies focusing on digital health innovations that have garnered funding include virtual women and family health provider Maven Clinic, which raised $90 million in Series E funding last year, bringing its total raise to $300 million.
Maternity-focused digital health company Diana Health secured $34 million in Series B funding in October, hybrid fertility and reproductive care company Kindbody scored $25 million in May, and women’s healthcare platform Iron Health, which allows obstetrician-gynecologists to connect their patients with primary and other specialty care, launched in March with $4.5 million in seed funding.