For millions of women, an abnormal Pap smear result initiates a cascade of anxiety and logistical hurdles. The standard next step is a colposcopy, an invasive office procedure that can be painful, expensive, and often requires a separate appointment weeks later. Curiva, a Chicago-based femtech startup founded in 2020, is betting it can collapse that stressful diagnostic gap with a wearable patch.
The company's lead product, called diaPatch™, is a non-invasive wearable that uses microneedles to collect a liquid-biopsy sample from the pelvic region [Tracxn, retrieved 2025]. The concept is to provide a same-visit, point-of-care alternative to the colposcopy, delivering results in under 30 minutes while a patient is still at the clinic [Curiva, retrieved 2025]. For founder and CEO Eydis Lima, a former AbbVie process-development associate, the goal is to shift gynecologic cancer diagnostics away from invasive procedures and toward a gentler, faster standard [University of Notre Dame, Jan 2021].
The Clinical Wedge: Between Pap and Procedure
Curiva's initial target is the cervical cancer diagnostic pathway, a workflow with a well-documented patient drop-off problem. After an abnormal Pap smear, the recommended follow-up is a colposcopy, where a physician uses a magnifying device to visually examine the cervix and may take a biopsy. The procedure can cause discomfort and bleeding, and scheduling delays can lead to patient attrition.
Curiva positions diaPatch™ as an intermediate, less invasive step. The patch is designed to be applied in the clinic after an abnormal Pap result. It uses its microneedle array to painlessly extract interstitial fluid, which is then analyzed with a proprietary assay for cancer biomarkers [Femovate, retrieved 2026]. The promise is a definitive answer before the patient leaves, potentially avoiding the colposcopy altogether for many. The company is also developing a companion app, ELLEApp, intended to manage patient tasks and alleviate screening-related anxiety [ZoomInfo, retrieved 2024].
A Founder's Path Through Non-Dilutive Capital
Eydis Lima has navigated Curiva's early development primarily through non-dilutive funding and accelerator support, a common path for hardware-biotech hybrids facing long R&D timelines. Public records show a patchwork of grants and small investments totaling an estimated $245,000 [F6S, retrieved 2024]. The early financial picture includes a $25,000 founder investment, a matching $25,000 NSF I-Corps grant, and participation in numerous accelerators including MassChallenge Israel and CancerX [ABCT, May 2021] [Crunchbase, retrieved 2024].
A recent $25,000 investment from Joseph Gauta, a practicing MD and FACOG, signals early validation from a clinician within the target specialty [F6S, Apr 2025]. The company has also assembled an advisory board with experienced operators, including Tony Raccio and Patricia Sigmon [F6S, retrieved 2024].
| Role | Name | Background / Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Founder & CEO | Eydis Lima | MSc, Notre Dame ESTEEM; former Process Dev Associate, AbbVie [University of Notre Dame, Jan 2021] |
| Former Co-founder & CSO | Tracie McGinnity, Ph.D. | Served from Feb-Nov 2022 [LinkedIn, retrieved 2024] |
| Advisor | Tony Raccio | Managing Partner, Perseid Partners [F6S, retrieved 2024] |
| Advisor | Patricia Sigmon | Sustainability & Tech Consultant, Angel Investor [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] |
| Investor/Advisor | Joseph Gauta, MD, FACOG | Practicing Obstetrician/Gynecologist [F6S, retrieved 2024] |
The Long Road to the Clinic
The ambition is clear, but the path to market is fraught with the significant challenges inherent to novel diagnostic devices. Curiva is explicit that diaPatch™ is under development and currently intended for research use only (RUO) [Curiva, retrieved 2025]. The company states it plans to pursue FDA regulatory authorization, a process that will require rigorous clinical trials to prove safety, accuracy, and clinical utility.
The competitive landscape, while not crowded with identical devices, includes well-funded digital health players like Curai Health and established diagnostic giants. Curiva's success hinges on several technical and commercial unknowns:
- Clinical validation. The core claim of "higher accuracy" for same-visit results must be proven against the current gold standard in a peer-reviewed clinical study [Femovate, retrieved 2026].
- Regulatory strategy. Navigating the FDA's De Novo or 510(k) pathway for a new diagnostic device is a multi-year, capital-intensive endeavor with no guaranteed outcome.
- Commercial adoption. Even with regulatory clearance, convincing large health systems and clinics to adopt a new workflow and purchase new hardware is a formidable sales challenge.
The company's most plausible answer to these risks is its staged approach. Starting with an RUO designation allows for collaboration with research institutions to gather early data. The focus on a specific, high-friction point in a common clinical pathway (abnormal Pap follow-up) gives it a clear narrative for both regulators and providers.
What Comes After the Patch
For Curiva, the next twelve months are likely focused on advancing the prototype, securing additional non-dilutive or seed funding to fuel pre-clinical work, and formalizing research partnerships. The company's participation in the CancerX Accelerator, a public-private partnership launched by the White House, could provide valuable network access to oncology stakeholders [CancerX (USA)]. A key milestone to watch will be the announcement of a pilot study with an academic medical center, which would mark the transition from concept to early clinical evaluation.
The ultimate patient population here is women undergoing routine cervical cancer screening, specifically the subset who receive an abnormal Pap result and face the anxiety and inconvenience of the current diagnostic odyssey. Today, the standard of care for these patients is a wait for a colposcopy appointment, a procedure that itself can be variable in quality and comfort. The gap between screening and definitive diagnosis is a period of significant psychological distress, and it is a gap where too many patients are lost to follow-up. Curiva's bet is that a gentle patch in a doctor's office can close that gap, turning a weeks-long worry into a minutes-long answer. It is a humane vision, but one that must now pass the hard tests of biology, regulation, and the clinic.
Sources
- [University of Notre Dame, Jan 2021] ND Founders Profile #61: This Alumna Is on a Mission to Reduce the Impact of Gynecologic Cancers One Patch at a Time | https://ideacenter.nd.edu/news-events/news/nd-founders-profile-61-this-alumna-is-on-a-mission-to-reduce-the-impact-of-gynecologic-cancers-one-patch-at-a-time/
- [ABCT, May 2021] Curiva Executive Summary | https://abct.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FINAL-5.7-EYDIS-Curiva_Executive-Summary_ABCT_Edits_05_07_21_Pre-Final.pdf
- [Tracxn, retrieved 2025] Curiva Company Profile | https://tracxn.com/d/companies/curiva/__toWfllMG4jNnwugswdvGINTWvCjE5vLo0GofNUR6q1Y
- [Curiva, retrieved 2025] diaPatchTM Product Page | https://www.curiva.co/science
- [Femovate, retrieved 2026] Curiva Profile | https://femovate.com/portfolio/curiva/
- [F6S, Apr 2025] Curiva Funding Update | https://www.f6s.com/company/curiva-llc
- [F6S, retrieved 2024] Curiva Advisors | https://www.f6s.com/company/curiva-llc
- [Crunchbase, retrieved 2024] Curiva - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding | https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/curiva
- [LinkedIn, retrieved 2024] Tracie McGinnity Profile | https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracie-mcginnity-phd-b13271a7
- [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] Patricia Sigmon Profile | https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciasigmon
- [ZoomInfo, retrieved 2024] Curiva Company Overview | https://www.zoominfo.com/c/curiva/556146873