Hello and welcome to issue #109 of FutureFemHealth (w/c July 7 2025).
đ Coming up today weâve got:
𩸠OhmBody launches wearable earpiece to reduce pain and heaviness of periods
đ° MedTech startup PlexÄÄ secures $4.5m to support US launch of breast surgery device
â WeightWatchers pivots to menopause care as it emerges from bankruptcy
đ Organon abandons endometriosis pain drug development after trial failure
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𩸠OhmBody launches wearable earpiece to reduce pain and heaviness of periods
A new wearable wellness device that uses neurostimulation to relieve period symptoms without drugs or hormones has been launched by OhmBody, the womenâs health division of Texas-based neurotechnology company Spark Biomedical.
Worn as a discreet earpiece, the device delivers low-frequency pulses to the vagus and trigeminal nerves â two key players involved in regulating pain, mood, digestion and blood flow.
âWe didnât create OhmBody to help you âpower throughâ your cycle. We created it so you donât have to,â said Amy Gaston, VP of Strategic Growth at OhmBody.
âNo more heating pads, doubling up on protection, planning your wardrobe and your life around your period, and pretending everything is fine. Itâs time for smarter period care that moves with you.â
From TENS to targeted neuromodulation
Wearables for period pain relief are nothing new (shall we consider the humble hot water bottle as the original?!)
More recently, TENS machines (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) have been the go-to for drug-free pain relief, using surface-level electrical pulses to distract from discomfort.
But OhmBody is part of a newer wave of neurostimulation tools aiming to intervene more directly in the bodyâs regulatory systems. It joins emerging devices like Samphire Neuroscienceâs Nettle, a CE-marked headband that targets the brain to relieve PMS and menstrual pain.
Early evidence - and whatâs next
A very small early-stage clinical trial of 16 participants has seen positive results for OhmBody - 88% of participants experienced greater menstrual comfort, with an average 55% reduction in blood loss and a 35% reduction on day one of the cycle.
A larger randomized controlled trial is now planned for early 2026, and will be used to support a de novo submission to the FDA for regulatory clearance.
And while OhmBodyâs initial focus is the US market, Iâm told that expansion to Europe and beyond is also on the cards for 2026.
đ° Funding, deals and investment news
đ UK: MedTech startup PlexÄÄ secures $4.5m to support US launch of breast surgery device. PlexÄÄâs BLOOMâ´Âł wearable is designed to improve recovery and reduce complications after breast surgery by boosting blood flow and skin healing. This funding extension round (ahead of a planned Series A) includes continued support from TCP Health Ventures, the healthcare investment arm of The Capital Partnership, which led PlexÄÄâs seed funding. Notably, additional backing comes from THENAâŻCapital, a London-based firm which launched earlier this year - and this is their first investment. The round also includes over $1.6 million in grant funding via the UKâs National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
đ US: Sama Fertility raises $3.8m to make IVF more accessible. Sama is launching a program called SimpleIVF, which requires patients to visit a clinic in person only twice: once at the beginning of the process and again at the end. The mostly virtual program doesnât take insurance and charges $6,000 per cycle. Medications, lab testing and other services like egg freezing are not included. As part of the offer however, Sama guarantees a full refund for patients who do not deliver a baby. SNR Ventures led this seed round. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
đ INDIA: Luma Fertility secures $4M seed to roll out tech-enabled IVF clinics. Access to quality IVF remains a major barrier in India due to cost and fragmented care. Luma Fertility already runs one of Indiaâs largest and most tech-forward IVF clinics â combining in-person care with digital tools, telehealth support, and remote monitoring. The company also launched Indiaâs first integrated IVF app for patient tracking, report access, and medication guidance. The startup now aims to further streamline treatment journeys, improve outcomes, and expand affordable fertility care through a scalable clinic model. This funding round was led by Peak XVâs Surge. (Continue reading: BWâŻHealthcareâŻWorld)
đ Industry news from this week
đ US: WeightWatchers eyes menopause care as it emerges from bankruptcy and returns to Nasdaq. Long known for its community-based, behavioural approach to weight loss, WeightWatchers was a casualty of the rise of GLP-1s and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Now itâs back - with a planned integrated programme for perimenopause, menopause and menopause which will combine medical support (including GLP-1s), tailored nutritional guidance coaching and more. The company has hired an experienced CMO and relisted on Nasdaq too. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)
𩸠Research and womenâs health news
đ US: Organon abandons endometriosis pain drug development after trial failure. Organonâs new drug hoped to reduce pelvic pain in women with endometriosis. But it showed no significant improvement compared to placebo in a recent proof-of-concept study. The drug had been acquired through Organonâs $954m purchase of Forendo Pharma and was earmarked as an alternative to current non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen. (Continue reading: Reuters)
đ GLOBAL: The 5 biggest womenâs health myths that need to come to an end. We know the healthcare system wasnât built for women. From the research blindspot to failures in diagnosis, these piece outlines where things are still going wrong. (Continue reading: Science Focus)
đ Govt & policy news
đ UK: New NHS 10-year plan: doctors warn women will keep suffering as governmentâs new health plan fails to tackle gender care gap. The governmentâs anticipated long-term health strategy promises big change - centred around a shift to more preventative health, more care closer to home and communities, and an expanded NHS app. But thereâs no clear commitment to closing the gender health gap which costs women years of healthy life, say leading doctors and campaigners. Having taken a look too, Iâd have to agree. (Continue reading: Made for Mums)
đ US: How Trumpâs âBig Beautiful Billâ will affect women. A proposed domestic spending bill from Trump would see deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act of $1.1 âŻtrillion over a decade. And new work requirements to be eligible for Medicaid could strip coverage from millions. Experts now say that the impact on women will be especially severe, since Medicaid supports vital services like contraception, cancer screenings, maternal care, and mental health support. Currently, 24 million women in the U.S are enrolled in Medicaid; 56% of those women are of reproductive age, and women of color make up over half of this group as well. (Continue reading: Fortune).
đ§ This weekâs FemTech Focus podcast
Sin Reglas: Redesigning menopause for women across Latin America
đĽ Curious about the landscape of menopause across Latin America? In this weekâs episode of the FemTech Focus podcast, Dr Brittany Barreto talks with Gabriela Rojas - CEO and founder of Sin Reglas to explore the first study on menopause in Mexican society, why most Mexican women donât recognize perimenopause and the status quo of menopause in the workplace in Latin America.
đ§ Listen now or watch on You Tube
Thatâs all for this week! See you next time. If youâve missed any previous newsletter issues catch them all at futurefemhealth.com and do make sure to follow us on LinkedIn.
PS. Before you go: would you like to sponsor the newsletter and reach our audience? Iâm now booking slots for September 2025 onwards. For more info and a copy of our media pack drop me a line: anna@futurefemhealth.com