Gedea raises €1.3M to develop antibiotic-free cure for vaginal infections

Swedish femtech startup Gedea Biotech has secured €1.3 million to support its mission of developing antibiotic-free treatments for vaginal infections.

Gedea chairman of the board Ton Berkien said the new funding was “quite an achievement” within life sciences due to the ongoing “harsh” climate in venture investments. Berkien expressed gratitude to new and existing investors who participated in the funding round, including family offices and angel investors with a track record in life science investment.

Annette Säfholm, CEO of Gedea, said the Lund-based firm would use the fund for additional clinical documentation of its product, pHyph. The startup also plans to examine the wider impact of said treatment on the vaginal microbiome.

“The commitment from new, experienced life science investors to support our journey validates the trust in our company and our plans for the further development of pHyph,” said Säfholm.

Gedea is currently running a proof-of-concept study of pHyph application in vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) treatment, partially financed by Swelife and Medtech4Health. The study aims to understand the effect of short- and long-term administration of pHyph on vaginal microbiome changes in patients.

Needs for non-antibiotic treatment for vaginal infections

Data show that around 450 million women worldwide suffer from vaginal infections every year, with a high probability of recurring symptoms. In addition to VVC, bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection affecting women.

Conventional treatments often involve antibiotics, posing risks for antibiotic resistance among patients. In the longer term, antibiotic resistance can lead to various health complications. To treat this condition, medical practitioners have called for non-antibiotic treatment.

Established in 2015, Gedea offers pHyph as an alternative treatment for vaginal infection patients. The vaginal tablet breaks down the biofilm formed due to the infection, preventing infectious bacteria from thriving there.

According to Gedea, the tablet can restore the pH balance in the vagina. Gedea also claims that pHyph is beneficial for healthy microbiomes in the organ.

Gedea reported that pHyph’s clinical cure rate for BV is equivalent to antibiotics sold in the market. Unlike some antibiotics, the Swedish startup also claims that the tablet does not cause secondary VVC infections.