Calla Lily Clinical Care, a UK-based women’s health company, has entered a strategic collaboration with Merck to support the continued development of Callavid, a platform for intravaginal drug delivery. This is the first industry partnership for the Callavid technology.
Callavid is a tampon-shaped device with an integrated absorbent liner designed to address challenges with self-administration of vaginal therapeutics, including patient concerns around positioning, dosing accuracy, and leakage. The company says initial target indications include fertility and pregnancy, with potential applications in oncology, menopause, infectious diseases, and live biotherapeutics.
“This collaboration with Merck marks an important milestone in the development of Callavid, our novel vaginal drug delivery platform,” said Thang Vo-Ta, Co-founder and CEO of Calla Lily Clinical Care. “Merck’s scientific heritage and forward-looking approach to innovation make them an ideal partner as we work to address long-standing unmet needs in women’s health.”
Dr. Lara Zibners, Co-founder and Chairman of Calla Lily Clinical Care, said: “As both a clinician and a patient, I have seen how profoundly drug delivery can shape treatment experience. This collaboration builds on that early dialogue and reflects a shared interest in rigorously exploring new approaches that may improve how therapies are delivered and experienced by patients.”
