At-home health testing has often been plagued by exaggerated claims and instances of fraud. However, TimeTeller, a German startup led by CEO Angela Relógio, is making strides with its saliva test kit designed to help individuals understand their circadian rhythms. Relógio, a physicist-engineer and molecular biologist, has a background in oncology, circadian biology, and systems medicine, which she leveraged to create TimeTeller after leaving academia.
The Vision Behind TimeTeller
Relógio is cautious about the capabilities of the test, emphasizing that it is essential to avoid overselling its potential. Her last name, which means "clock" in Portuguese, reflects the company's mission to optimize cancer treatment by aligning it with patients' internal clocks. The long-term goal is to determine the optimal timing for cancer treatments to enhance their effectiveness and reduce side effects.
“"That is something that we need to calculate for every single medicine; we do that in the context of clinical studies," Relógio cautioned.
Demand and Applications
TimeTeller began accepting direct orders due to interest from longevity clinics that focus on healthy aging. These clinics recognize that individual data on circadian rhythms can inform personalized advice on sleep, nutrition, light exposure, and physical activity. While the test could also have implications for metabolic diseases like diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer remains the core focus of the company.
