DIAGNOSING CONDITIONS
Undestanding
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue grows outside the uterus, leading to pain and potential fertility issues. Early detection is crucial to managing symptoms and preventing long-term complications.

HOW THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS FAILING WOMEN
Detection Is Crucial for Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis symptoms are often overlooked or misdiagnosed, delaying diagnosis and treatment. Without early detection, the condition can lead to chronic pain, infertility, and other long-term health issues.
Menstrual blood has shown promise in being a more accessible and innovative approach to earlier detection of endometriosis.
Endometriosis by the Numbers
Reproductive age women and girls are affected globally.
Average delay for diagnosis.
Women with endometriosis may experience infertility.
Qvin Simplifies
Endometriosis Screening


Partner with Qvin
THE PROBLEM
Approximately $78-119 billion was the estimated economic
burden of endometriosis in the U.S. alone in 2022.
THE SOLUTION
Qvin makes blood work accessible, increasing
early detection, reducing costs, and saving lives.

Rationale
Menstrual blood (MB) is an accessible, non-invasive biospecimen uniquely reflective of the endometrial environment. Unlike peripheral blood, MB contains exfoliated endometrial stromal and epithelial cells, immune cells, cytokines, extracellular matrix components, and a diverse proteomic and lipidomic profile—mirroring the intrauterine milieu during menstruation. Studies have demonstrated that MB from individuals with endometriosis shows distinct molecular alterations, including elevated expression of estrogen-regulating genes (e.g., aromatase, SF-1, and HSD17B2) [1], differential lipid signatures [2], and increased levels of proteins such as CXCL5 and IL1RN [3]. Sensory nerve fibers, strongly associated with pain in endometriosis, have also been detected in eutopic endometrial tissue [4], suggesting altered tissue composition that may be traceable in MB. MB contains over 350 proteins not found in peripheral blood or vaginal secretions [5], indicating high diagnostic potential. These approaches respond to the clinical need for earlier non-invasive diagnostics in adolescents and young women experiencing dysmenorrhea—a population often overlooked or delayed in diagnosis [6]. Additionally, efforts to detect systemic biomarkers in peripheral blood have shown promise but limited specificity and practicality, further justifying MB as a superior alternative [7].
Q-Pad
The Q-Pad, a menstrual pad embedded with dried blood spot (DBS) technology, offers a user-friendly, non-invasive, and scalable platform for collecting MB. Unlike traditional methods requiring liquid handling, Q-Pads allow passive self-collection during menstruation, preserving biomolecules (RNA, proteins, lipids) for downstream analysis. Recent work shows that lipidomic and transcriptomic profiles from DBS of MB can effectively differentiate women with endometriosis from controls with high sensitivity and specificity [1,2]. Moreover, proteomic and metabolomic studies using Q-Pad-collected samples have successfully detected endometriosis-associated markers like CXCL5 and IL1RN [3], as well as estrogen metabolism-related transcripts [1]. These features make the Q-Pad highly suited for decentralized, home-based diagnostic screening of endometriosis using MB, particularly for younger patients whose symptoms are often dismissed or underdiagnosed [6].
Research
[1] Gene expression of aromatase, SF-1, and HSD17B2 in menstrual blood as noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis, Amanda CR et al., European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 2024.
[2] Diagnostic Value of Menstrual Blood Lipidomics in Endometriosis: A Pilot Study, Starodubtseva N et al., Biomolecules, 2024.
[3] DIA-based analysis of the menstrual blood proteome identifies association between CXCL5 and IL1RN and endometriosis, Ji S et al., Journal of Proteomics, 2023.
[4] Detection of nerve fibers in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis, uterine fibroids and adenomyosis, Yadav G et al., Obstetrics & Gynecology Science, 2021.
[5] Proteomic Analysis of Menstrual Blood, Yang H et al., Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2012.
[6] Early noninvasive diagnosis of endometriosis: dysmenorrhea and specific ultrasound findings are important indicators in young women, Martire FG et al., Fertility and Sterility, 2023.
[7] Blood biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis, Nisenblat V et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016.
JOIN US
Early endometriosis detection can
improve health outcomes.
Be a part of the solution and transform endometriosis care.
Funding
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Research
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