Danish medical device startup UVISA has secured 4.2 million DKK(approximately $600,000) in angel funding, bringing the total raised to 11.2 million DKK (€1.5M). The company also received approval to begin its first clinical trial for its light-based treatment for vaginal infections, specifically vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and bacterial vaginosis (BV).
The trial, which will test both safety and efficacy for vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and bacterial vaginosis (BV), marks a significant milestone for the company. According to UVISA’s team, the approval process was remarkably smooth. “The Danish Medicines Agency granted approval very quickly with only a few questions, which demonstrates the robustness of our pre-clinical work,” explains Ella Harris, co-founder of UVISA in an interview with Femtech Insider. “We’ve thoroughly demonstrated both safety and efficacy pre-clinically, which led the approving bodies to recognize the minimal risk profile of our technology.”
From Personal Pain to Innovative Solution
Harris’s journey began at the Danish Technical University (DTU), where she was pursuing a Master’s in Technology Entrepreneurship. During her studies, she encountered research conducted between Copenhagen University (KU) and DTU investigating the impact of UVA light on biofilms.
The original research focused on how UVA light could assist antibiotic treatment by breaking down biofilms. What caught Harris’s attention was the discovery that UVA light alone could destroy biofilms – a finding that immediately sparked a connection to women’s health.
“I had just returned from my first maternity leave when I experienced severe yeast infections,” Harris recalls. “During what should have been a relaxing babymoon in the South of France, I found myself driving through mountain towns searching for pharmacies that carried antifungal medications.”
This personal experience led her to question whether the light technology could be applied to gynecological infections. While the original researchers were exploring applications in dentistry, Harris saw the potential for addressing a pervasive women’s health issue.
Her path converged with Sonal Pendharkar Kulkarni, a medical scientist from Sweden’s prestigious Karolinska Institute who had been studying interventions on the vaginal microbiome for treating vaginal dysbiosis as part of her PhD. Together, they formed UVISA to bring their vision to life.
A Technological Breakthrough for a Common Problem
UVISA has developed a small, insertable, reusable device that administers therapeutic light both inside the vagina and on the external vulva to target yeast and bacteria that cause common infections.
Over the past two years, the company has conducted multiple studies demonstrating that their specific light therapy – with carefully calibrated doses and wavelengths – effectively targets pathogenic microbes while largely preserving beneficial bacteria.
“Our technology rebalances the vaginal microbiome without requiring pharmaceutical interventions,” explains Harris. “The reusable nature of our device makes it an especially valuable solution for individuals who experience chronic infections.”
The statistics behind vaginal infections are staggering: Approximately 11% of women of reproductive age (20-50) suffer from three or more episodes yearly, with potentially higher numbers in postmenopausal women. These infections are linked to infertility and preterm birth, with an economic burden of $14 billion annually from loss of productivity alone, while treatment costs reach $20 billion per year.
“These figures represent only the documented cases,” Harris points out. “The true numbers are significantly higher due to widespread self-diagnosis and self-management that goes unreported in healthcare systems.”
The Clinical Trial and Beyond
The upcoming trial, conducted in partnership with Odense University Hospital (OUH), and will provide substantial data on both safety and efficacy. Recruitment is expected to begin within the next couple of weeks.
UVISA’s technology offers several advantages over traditional treatments. As a reusable device that patients can keep at home, it reduces the burden on healthcare systems. It treats both yeast and bacterial infections, and critically, it’s safe to use even if the user doesn’t have an active infection, which makes self management a low-risk option for women experiencing symptoms.
The Company’s Strategic Funding Approach
The company has taken a deliberate approach to funding, focusing initially on angel investors rather than venture capital. Their first round raised 7 million DKK (approximately $1M) from three individual business angels in Denmark over a year ago. The recent 4.2 million Danish Kroner extension includes one existing investor plus three new additions to the investor group.
“We’ve made a strategic decision to initially focus on angel investment rather than venture capital,” notes Harris. “We plan to approach VCs toward the end of this year with the goal of closing a seed round in January 2026 that will support completing the regulatory pathway, our go-to-market strategy and commercialization efforts.”
Among UVISA’s notable investors is Sara Kindberg Adelskov, Midwife and CEO of Gynzone: “I am proudly supporting UVISA Health. I believe this product can improve the lives of many women in the future. Vaginal health seems to become an important part of understanding the mechanisms of preterm birth, which has great social-economical and human impact.”
A New Paradigm for Women’s Health
UVISA’s innovation comes at a time when women’s health is finally beginning to receive long-overdue attention from investors, researchers, and the public. However, as many founders in the space note, there’s still a significant gap between awareness and meaningful action.
For the UVISA team, the focus remains on developing solutions that address real problems affecting millions of women globally. By offering an alternative to antibiotics and antifungals, their technology could potentially transform the standard of care for vaginal infections – a condition that, despite its prevalence, has seen little innovation in treatment approaches.
“Our innovation provides individuals experiencing chronic infections with a treatment option they can maintain at home, self-administer, and utilize without adding strain to healthcare systems,” says Harris. “Fundamentally, we’re empowering women to take control of their health through a solution that’s effective, convenient, and preserves their dignity.”
