Juno Bio, a women’s health company, announcement On Thursday, the company secured $3.8 million in funding, which it is using to support the opening of its first women’s health sequencing lab.
The company offers an at-home vaginal microbiome test that detects all bacteria and fungi (microbes) in the vaginal microbiome. Patients receive an analysis of microbes found in the vagina and health problems related to those microbes, such as bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections. Additionally, the test can screen for sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Patients can then book a free call with one of the company’s coaches to discuss the results and next steps.
The test is available in 46 states and costs $149 for one test or $99 for a test every three months.
Juno Bio’s funding was supported by Ada Ventures, Artesian, Entrepreneur First and Illumina Accelerator.
“Juno Bio sets a new standard in understanding and managing vaginal health,” Check Warner, co-founding partner of Ada Ventures, said in a statement. “What they have built to this point, with this level of capital efficiency, is exceptional. We are proud to support the team as they evolve their clinical infrastructure and continue to lead innovation in this extremely underserved category.”
The funding supports the opening of the first CLIA-certified women’s health-focused sequencing lab in Oakland, California. Being CLIA certified means the laboratory meets federal quality standards for laboratory testing. This allows the company to perform its vaginal microbiome testing in-house, giving Juno Bio more control over quality, speed, innovation and future research and development, the company told MedCity News.
Data from Juno Bio shows that before using the at-home vaginal microbiome test, 67.5% of its customers were incorrectly diagnosed and only 13% were successfully treated. The company hopes to improve understanding of the vaginal microbiome.
“The vaginal microbiome is still one of the least understood systems in the body on a clinical scale. With our lab, we are beginning to develop a standard of measurement that clinicians can actually use,” Leighton Turner, founder and chief scientific officer of Juno Bio, said in a statement. “We believe the level of detail in this type of testing can significantly improve the way vaginal care is provided.” »
The company’s founder and CEO, Hana Janebdar, noted that Juno Bio’s next chapter is to scale up its work and “expand access to more tangible care, and continue to close the gender health gap.”
It’s important to note that Juno Bio is not the only company testing the vaginal microbiome. New York-based Evvy also offers an at-home vaginal microbiome test.
Photo: phive2015, Getty Images
