Bethan Halliwell, partner and patent attorney, Withers & Rogers discusses the growing awareness of menopause and how its impact on women’s lives and overall health is bringing a step change in this area of the femtech market.
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Women experiencing menopause are the fastest growing demographic in today’s workplace and with just 5% of femtech startups dedicated to menopause, there is huge scope for innovators to become big players in this fast-developing market.
Drivers of menopause-related innovation include advances in biometric tracking and telehealth, as well as a growing number of women seeking an alternative to hormone replacement therapies (HRTs), be that down to choice or circumstance. Last December, a new drug known as Veoza or Fezolinetant that can prevent hot flushes was approved for use in the UK, and trials on other non-hormonal drugs, such as Elinzanetant – a menopause drug developed by German pharmaceutical firm, Bayer – are underway. However, innovation is not limited to pharmaceutical solutions.
Virtual healthcare makes up a portion of the femtech market so it’s unsurprising that trends in personalised tracking devices are becoming more prevalent in relation to the menopause too. Current developments include the recent partnership between the creators of menstrual health app, Clue, and the health tracker device, ŌURA Ring. These companies have collaborated to develop an integrated solution, which enables users to track their body temperature – as fluctuations in temperature are a key menopausal symptom for many. The collaboration is also aiming to use real-time, bio-sensing data to improve early diagnosis and symptom management for those experiencing perimenopause - an area that is still relatively unknown.
Similar areas of innovation include health management systems that use biometric data to track personal trends, and virtual dashboards that provide insights to individuals based on finger-prick blood samples sent for laboratory testing. Harnessing this data is important as it could help to shape menopause care in the future; enabling patients and medical professionals to create bespoke and effective healthcare plans.
The increased focus on non-hormonal treatments is also evident through emerging wearable technologies. US startup, Embr Labs, has patented (US10182937B2) a method or apparatus for manipulating the temperature of a given surface - such as the human skin. The device delivers a series of thermal pulses at the surface via a thermal adjustment apparatus, such as a controller that electrically communicates with one or more thermoelectric materials. With each pulse, the device provides a temperature adjustment in a matter of seconds and can be used to either cool or warm an individual, depending on their symptoms.
Similarly, South Asian corporation, MAS Innovation, has patented (EP3648719) a permeable undergarment comprising a detachable pouch, which is part of a new ‘anti-flush’ clothing line, Femography. Comprising two pieces, the bottom part of the undergarment features a permeable layer made from a mesh of wicking fibres, which allow bodily fluids to pass through to the detachable pouch. Absorption pads can also be placed in the pouch to capture moisture from wearers experiencing hot flushes or night sweats.
Elsewhere, three-minute cognitive screening tests are being used to help identify other menopausal symptoms, such as ‘brain fog’. These diagnostic tests can be undertaken on a smart device, laptop or computer and used to refer patients for professional menopause evaluation. This process, which has been developed by US cognitive technology firm, Neurotrack, in collaboration with virtual women’s health clinic, Midi Health, can help to determine whether an individual’s low-test score correlates with the menopause or dementia.
Whilst the increase in R&D activity targeting diagnostic tests and symptom-alleviating solutions for women experiencing the menopause is positive, there is still a lot of catching up to do when it comes to viewing women’s reproductive health as a crucial part of their overall health. Research has shown that menopausal symptoms can contribute to women developing other health conditions, such as arterial stiffness within one year of their final menstrual cycle. Progress in femtech has also not been helped by the gender data gap, which has largely come about due to the historical prioritisation of male participants in medical trials. If menopause innovation is to continue attracting investment, greater understanding of women’s health is needed - in particular, the relationship that exists between a woman’s reproductive system and their overall health.
Whilst the femtech market is still growing, the MedTech sector as a whole is crowded. The volume of existing technology in the medical space can make the criteria of novelty and inventiveness challenging to meet so innovators must act quickly to obtain patent protection. Innovators also need to be aware of the potential exclusions to patentability that might apply to their inventions. Any solution classed as a method of treatment or therapy performed on the human body is excluded from patentability in many jurisdictions.
Similarly, software per se is not patentable, however, the application of the software might be, provided it solves a technical problem. This means that collecting biometric data and outputting it for display is unlikely to be patentable, but the devices used to collect or process the biometric data might be. Identifying innovation at the point of creation and seeking advice from a patent attorney early on will therefore improve innovators’ chances of securing IP rights where possible.
Despite the challenges, there are opportunities for startups and tech-led innovators searching for a new solution for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. In healthcare, women consumers are thought to make up to 80% of the buying and usage decisions, so the market is there and ripe for the taking.
