Vaginal health startup bolsters team after validation boost

Biotech firm Evvy, which is focused on precision medicine for vaginal health, has appointed a chief medical officer to help build on the positive peer-reviewed trial findings it published last month.

Evvy brings together testing, prescription treatments, and coaching and aims to better address vaginal discomfort, one of the leading reasons women seek healthcare advice. Over 90 per cent of cases can be attributed to imbalances in the vaginal microbiome.

Yet current standards for vaginal health testing and care do not take into account the entire vaginal microbiome. Instead, vaginal healthcare is underpinned by overly simplistic methods like microscopy and brute-force antibiotics.

A peer-reviewed validation study of its vaginal health test was published in September, based on analysis of over 7,000 vaginal microbiome samples. It showed the test’s exceptional sensitivity (93.1 per cent) and specificity (90 per cent).

Unlike traditional diagnostic methods that test for a limited number of pathogens, Evvy’s test uses advanced shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyse over 700 species of bacteria and fungi from a single, at-home swab.

This comprehensive analysis helps clinicians make more informed decisions based on a complete understanding of each patient’s microbial composition.

Following the findings, Evvy has named Dr Kate McLean as its chief medical officer. Her experience includes serving as chair for the American College of OBGYNs (ACOG), providing on-the-ground care for women in Tanzania and working as chief medical officer at Quilted Health, a leading midwife care company providing virtual and in-person care for pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.

Most recently she was senior director of clinical product strategy at Ro, where she helped to scale its offerings, including its first ever at-home fertility test. She has also been advising a joint project with the Gates Foundation to develop AI-guided obstetrical tools.

She said: “As an OBGYN, I’ve seen up close how the lack of research in women’s health profoundly affects patient outcomes worldwide. As a healthtech leader, I’ve also seen the transformative power of technology and data to gather data, personalise care, and change lives at scale. I’m excited to join Evvy, the clear leader in transforming women’s health through data.

“Together, we will continue to empower patients and clinicians with comprehensive insights, while pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery to improve outcomes in fertility, pregnancy, gynaecological cancers, menopause, and beyond.”