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Advances in the Femtech space

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FemTech, increasingly hailed as the latest boom in healthcare, provides a wide range of solutions aimed at improving healthcare for women across a number of female-specific conditions, including fertility and birth control, menstrual health, pelvic and sexual health, menopause, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and hormonal disorders, as well as numerous general health conditions.

Expected to be worth approximately $79.4 billion by 2025, the industry represents a significant market opportunity for innovators in the Femtech space.

Much of the innovation in Femtech has been initiated by women frustrated at the sheer lack of available solutions addressing their health and well-being needs. Inventions borne of this frustration include wearable technology, software, diagnostic tools and apps catering to women’s health.

To put the broad range of Femtech inventions into perspective, notable examples of recently filed and pending European patents in the Femtech space include:

  • Pulsenmore’s system for acquiring ultrasound images of internal organs for neonatal health. Pulsenmore has pending European and Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent applications protecting the imaging systems and associated methods.
  • ModiBodi’s protective fabric insert for use in reusable period underwear. ModiBodi has several pending PCT applications protecting both the fabric insert and re-useable leak-proof wearable garments.
  • Wilk’s cell-based lab-grown milk cultured from epithelial mammary cells and offering an alternative to formula milk. Wilk has pending PCT applications protecting their methods and systems for in vitro milk production.

These innovations are not only revolutionising women’s health but are also having an extremely positive impact on the environment by reducing single-use sanitary products and the enormous carbon footprint associated with dairy milk (currently 4% of global greenhouse gases).

As innovation continues to flourish within the sector, we can expect to see Femtech’s evolution reflected in more patents and patent applications, promoting further investment in long-overdue advances in female health. Patent protection is and will be vital to the continued success and growth of the Femtech industry.

For more information about Femtech or IP protection, please contact your usual Forresters attorney.

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