What is the name of your organization?
Hillspring Bio Inc.
What is the name of your solution?
Pregnancy & Ectopic Kit
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
A reliable ectopic pregnancy test kit for early detection.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Toronto, ON, Canada
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
CAN
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Overview
Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the womb, most commonly in the fallopian tube. Unlike the womb, the tube cannot expand to accommodate fetal growth. As a result, it may rupture, causing internal bleeding and potentially death without early intervention.
Global Burden & Mortality
This condition affects women worldwide but is more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries with limited healthcare infrastructure. Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester of pregnancy and accounts for 75% of maternal death in the first trimester. it is responsible for 8-10% of all maternal mortality globally.
Case Study: Nigeria
In Nigeria, 80% of ectopic pregnancies are diagnosed only after the fallopian tube has ruptured, increasing the risk of complications or death.
Diagnostic Challenges
Early detection is difficult, as ectopic pregnancies often show no symptoms until late in its course, usually when the tube is at risk of rupturing. Patients are typically unaware of the issue until they begin to feel pain. Current diagnostic methods are slow, requiring multiple lab visits over several days or weeks—during which the risk of rupture remains high.
What is your solution?
Through years of research, we discovered a novel biomarker that enables pregnancy location determination. This breakthrough is incorporated into our test kit—APEK (Advanced Pregnancy and Ectopic Detection Kit).
Unlike conventional pregnancy test kits that only confirm pregnancy, APEK not only detects pregnancy but also determines whether the pregnancy is properly located. This allows early detection of ectopic pregnancy.
A pregnant woman using APEK can, from the comfort of her home, find out if she is pregnant and whether the pregnancy is correctly implanted. If it isn’t, she can seek timely medical attention.
Physicians and gynecologists can use APEK in their offices to detect ectopic pregnancy within minutes and initiate prompt management. Additionally, APEK aids clinicians in differentiating between ectopic pregnancy and threatened abortion, helping them make critical decisions quickly.
Currently, diagnosing ectopic pregnancy relies on repeated Beta-HCG tests over several visits and ultrasound scans. This process can take days to weeks, during which the risk of tubal rupture remains high. APEK offers a faster, more accessible, and potentially life-saving alternative.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Women of Reproductive Age Group;
Our product will help women who are within their reproductive age group to detect ectopic pregnancy on time when it happens, preventing death and loss of fertility potentials.
Most cases of ectopic pregnancy are treated with surgery because they are detected late. With APEK’s early detection, it will allow for medical treatment of this condition, thereby reducing cost of treatment for patients. APEK can detect this condition as early as 4-5 weeks before symptom onset.
APEK is designed as a rapid test kit, and allows for timely detection of this condition for women in rural areas which will lead to them seeking treatment on time.
Clinicians(This includes gynaecologists, family physicians, and general practitioners);
A.) APEK will help clinicians detect ectopic pregnancy on time, so they can give prompt treatment to their patients.
B.) APEK will help clinicians differentiate between ectopic pregnancy and threatened abortion on time, thereby allowing for prompt treatment of each.
Target market includes:
Hospitals
clinics
Diagnostic centres
Medical laboratories
pharmacies