Weekly Scoop #89

✨ New acquisitions, cervical cancer approval, and £1.2M femtech launch
Author:
Molly Taylor
Published:
March 6, 2026

🧪 Gedeon Richter acquires Celmatix women’s health discovery portfolio

Gedeon Richter has acquired Celmatix’s women’s health discovery portfolio, adding early-stage fertility and endometriosis assets designed to translate advances in female biology into new therapeutics.

“For too long, women’s health has been overlooked, and women are left with major unmet medical needs. By advancing research in key therapeutic areas of women’s health [...] we are strengthening our pipeline and broadening the scope of our scientific platform and innovation engine." — Dr. Péter Turek, Head of Women’s Healthcare Business Unit, Gedeon Richter

🔗 https://www.gedeonrichter.com/en/news/260303

📱 28x launches with £1.2M in funding for a free, privacy-first period tracking app

28x has launched a free period tracking and women’s health app backed by £1.2M from the Philips Foundation and philanthropic angel investors, built entirely on-device with no servers, subscriptions, or data collection.

“Innovation was increasingly reaching a very specific kind of woman – one who can afford a subscription or a supplement stack or a smart ring. That is a very small slice of the world. I wanted to build something for the other 80%.” — Amber Vodegel, Founder & CEO, 28x

🔗 https://femtechinsider.com/28x-launches-with-1-2m-in-funding-for-free-privacy-first-period-tracking-and-womens-health-app/

🧬 Cevira approved in China as first-in-class non-invasive therapy for cervical precancerous lesions

Asieris’ Cevira (APL-1702) has been approved by China’s NMPA as a non-surgical, non-invasive therapy for CIN2 cervical precancerous lesions, aiming to fill a major treatment gap while preserving fertility.

"The approval of CEVIRA® positions China at theglobal forefront of non-invasive gynecological therapies. By embodying a trulypatient-centered approach, its approval is expected to positively shapestrategies for the prevention and management in gynecologic oncology." — Di Wen, Vice Chair, Chinese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology

🔗 https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/asieris-cevira-approved-in-china-as-first-in-class-non-invasive-therapy-for-cervical-precancerous-lesions

🏙️ NYC invests $20M in Strong Foundations to expand perinatal and early childhood mental health support

New York City has announced a $20 million investment over three years to expand Strong Foundations, including broader eligibility for the NYC Nurse-Family Partnership and additional perinatal and early childhood mental health clinic capacity.

"The Mamdani administration is making good on its commitment to provide assistance to as many New York City families as possible. As a mother who has raised four children in New York, I understand the struggles that come with pregnancy, childbirth and infancy”— Dr. Helen Arteaga, NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services

🔗 https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/02/mayor-mamdani-announces--20-million-investment-in-strong-foundat

🍼 Pre-term birth diagnostic start-up Pregnolia AG secures a spot in the EIC Accelerator

Preterm birth start-up Pregnolia has been selected into the EIC Accelerator, becoming the one of first Swiss start-ups eligible for EIC support again after a multi-year hiatus.

“This acquisition immediately fast-tracks MediKarma’s expansion into women’s health with a solution purpose-built for the critical moments that happen between visits, this is a strategic move that strengthens value for payors and employers.” — Kris Narayan, CEO, MediKarma

🔗 https://www.startupticker.ch/en/news/four-swiss-start-ups-secure-a-spot-in-eic-accelerator

🤝 SOGC and Femtech Canada announce strategic partnership to advance women’s health innovation

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) and Femtech Canada have announced a partnership to strengthen collaboration between clinicians, researchers and innovators across women’s health.

"This partnership will help the SOGC harness the power of new tech tools to improve the lives of our patients through evidence-based, innovative approaches we hope could someday end the unacceptable gaps in care for women in Canada." — Dr.Diane Francoeur, CEO, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada

🔗 https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/sogc-and-femtech-canada-announce-strategic-partnership-to-advance-women-s-health-innovation-851480827.html