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Hydrogel offers hormone-free relief for menopause symptoms

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A hydrogel applied to vaginal tissue could offer hormone-free relief for menopause symptoms, new research suggests.

The treatment may help with vaginal dryness and pain linked to genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).

GSM occurs when the vaginal and urinary tissues become thinner and drier after menopause.

Dr Marianna Alperin, professor and vice chair for translational research in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Sciences, said: “An estimated 47 million women in the US become menopausal every year, thus GSM represents a major public health issue that urgently needs investment.”

GSM affects up to 85 per cent of women over 40.

Between 30 and 60 per cent experience vaginal dryness and pain, which can disrupt sleep, sex life and daily activities.

Around 65 per cent of women with GSM report dissatisfaction with current treatments.

During menopause, vaginal tissues thin, blood vessels and connective tissue shrink, and smooth muscle layers weaken.

These changes affect the vagina’s ability to expand during sex and to support organs such as the bladder, uterus and rectum. Immune cells also begin producing inflammatory proteins.

The main treatment now is low-dose vaginal oestrogen, which thickens the vaginal lining but does not restore deeper smooth muscle tissue.

Some patients and doctors avoid this therapy because of concerns about hormone-sensitive cancers, despite research suggesting these fears are not supported.

The therapy is also expensive and not always covered by insurance.

The researchers previously developed hydrogels for cardiac repair that were tested in a Phase 1 FDA-approved clinical trial.

The team then partnered with Alperin’s group to explore hydrogel use in GSM.

The team tested the hydrogel on 24 menopausal rats.

They applied daily doses at two strengths (6 or 8 milligrams per millilitre) alongside collagen or saline controls.

After 14 days, vaginal tissue treated with hydrogel resembled pre-menopausal tissue.

Smooth muscle thickness increased, especially with the higher dose, likely because of the higher concentration of extracellular matrix proteins.

The hydrogel reached both surface and muscle layers of the vaginal wall within three days.

Macrophages – immune cells that aid tissue repair – responded positively.

Images of treated tissue showed hydrogel-treated samples resembled healthy tissue, unlike saline or collagen controls.

 Emma Zelus is first author of the study and preclinical research manager at the Sanford Stem Cell Institute.

She said: “We are not looking to replace oestrogen treatments.

“We want to provide an alternative for patients and physicians who either do not want to use hormone-based therapy or for women for whom vaginal oestrogen alone is insufficient.”

No safety concerns were observed during the study.

Next steps include testing the hydrogel in larger preclinical studies over longer periods.

Researchers also plan to see if less frequent use, such as two or three times a week, could be effective.

Menopause

Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services

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Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.

The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.

Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.

The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.

Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.

“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.

“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.

“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”

The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.

Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.

“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.

“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.

“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.

“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”

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Menopause

Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health

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Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.

In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.

The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.

Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.

“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.

“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”

Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.

After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.

Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.

Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.

“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.

“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”

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Entrepreneur

Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live

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Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.

You can view the full agenda here.

Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?

Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.

Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.

Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.

Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.

Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.

Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.

The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.

As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.

The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.

View the full programme here.

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