Eli Lilly makes equity investment in ŌURA to support patients on GLP-1 drugs 💍
Eli Lilly has made an equity investment in ŌURA, backing the smart ring maker's vision for more connected, personalised care. The move is anchored in metabolic health: over 100,000 ŌURA members have already logged GLP-1 use in the app, and ŌURA recently launched GLP-1 Insights - a companion experience combining biometric data with medication-specific context so patients can track how their physiology and routines evolve over time.
"It's a great moment to see two companies aligned on a shared belief, that health is a fundamental human need and a daily practice, come together from different angles to help millions stay and get healthier over time. This investment speaks to our shared willingness to accelerate the mission the two companies share and keep building tools that help millions of people better understand their health."
— Anttoni Aniebonam, General Manager & Senior Director of Ecosystem Partnerships and New Business Opportunities, ŌURA
FDA grants De Novo classification to Claria Medical for first-of-its-kind hysterectomy device 🔬
Claria Medical has received FDA marketing authorisation through the De Novo pathway - and notably through the Safer Technologies Program (STeP), reserved for devices expected to significantly improve on the safety of existing treatments. The Claria System is the first integrated tissue containment and removal system cleared by the FDA for minimally invasive hysterectomy. In clinical studies, it achieved a median uterine extraction time of four minutes, compared with a current standard that can take up to 90 minutes, with containment breach rates in existing tools running as high as 40%.
“The safety risks associated with today’s standard of care are simply too high; women everywhere deserve a better, safer method for these vital surgical procedures. Clearing this hurdle allows us to expedite our efforts to make this improved technology available to health systems, surgeons, and patients around the country."
— Alexey Salamini, CEO, Claria Medical
Ontario grants $360K to Femtech Canada to back 10 seed-stage women's health companies 🍁
The Ontario government has awarded $360,000 to Femtech Canada through its Women's Economic Leadership and Legacy (WELL) fund, backing the wHealth Ignite initiative - a milestone-based programme supporting 10 seed-stage women's health companies on their path to market and investment readiness. Femtech Canada is a national network of over 200 companies, nearly 90% women-owned, operating out of the Innovation Factory in Hamilton. Women's health currently receives just 7% of health research funding despite women making up half the population.
"I think it’s a first big step into the government and Canada in general saying women’s health is here and it’s an industry that needs to be paid attention to. We’ve already done that with no funding, imagine what we can do with funding. It’s truly the first step in mobilizing change, not just on innovation, but also on the entire health-care system and how we treat women.”
— Rachel Bartholomew, Founder, Femtech Canada, CEO & Founder, Hyivy Health
FDA backs Arletta Pharma's development path for Lybrido in female sexual interest and arousal disorder 💊
Arletta Pharma has received an FDA written response endorsing key elements of its Phase 2 MONARCH study design for Lybrido - its lead therapy for Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. The FDA expressed openness to a streamlined path to NDA via a single pivotal Phase 3 study. The response follows positive Phase 2 clinical data and comes as the FDA shows increasing openness to hormone-based therapies for women.
"The FDA's feedback represents a significant validation of our development strategy and an important step forward for Arletta Pharma. […] We remain committed to working closely with the FDA and look forward to continuing our constructive engagement as we move toward the next phase of development."
— Steve van Os, Chief Medical Officer, Arletta Pharma Solutions
Circe secures £100K from Innovate UK to scale AI-powered group therapy for women 🧠
The UK startup connecting women to therapist-led online group therapy has been awarded £100,000 through the Founders Factory Biomedical Accelerator - its first significant external funding. Circe uses AI to automate the matching and programme delivery that makes group therapy difficult to scale: one therapist can support up to ten times more patients than in one-to-one sessions at a fraction of the cost. In early testing, 92% of participants self-reported an improvement in their mental health.
"Our vision is a world in which no one goes through it alone. There is an undeniable mental health crisis in our society, and we know that delivering therapy groups at scale can help ease that burden. And it goes deeper than capacity: according to a Mind report last year, half of those seeking therapy were driven, in part, by loneliness. Somewhere along the way, the mental healthcare sector forgot what it means to be human. With Circe, we hope to root mental wellbeing back into human connection."
— Claudia Radu, Co-Founder, Circe
Avni Wellness raises ₹4 crore (~$420K) seed round for women's health products in India 🌸
Mumbai-based Avni Wellness has closed a ₹4 crore seed round led by Proteus Partners to expand its range of science-backed, toxin-free women's health products spanning adolescence, reproductive years and menopause. The portfolio includes a patented antimicrobial reusable sanitary pad, a liposomal iron supplement, and products for PCOS, calcium supplementation and vaginal health. Funds will go toward digital commerce, expanding its cycle nutrition range and growing its women-led micro-entrepreneur network.
