Evvy, a vaginal healthcare company, improves the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial vaginosis, a recent peer-reviewed study found. Bacterial vaginosis is a leading reason women seek care and can cause pain and discomfort in the vagina.
New York City-based Evvy is a direct-to-consumer company. Its at-home vaginal microbiome test, starting at $129, checks for bacteria and fungi (or microbes) in people’s vaginas. After taking the test, people receive a report that explains the microbes found in the vagina and the health conditions related to those microbes, such as bacterial vaginosis. Based on the results, consumers receive a customized treatment plan and a one-on-one virtual session with a coach.
The study, published in Microorganisms Journal, evaluated 1,159 patients with bacterial vaginosis. All of Evvy’s care was provided entirely remotely, including testing, prescription treatment and health coaching. The study found that 75.5% of patients reported symptom relief at four weeks using Evvy, while 24.5% reported no change or a worsening in symptoms.
In addition, at a mean follow-up of 4.4 months, only 30% experienced a recurrence of bacterial vaginosis, compared to 50% with traditional care. Patients also saw a reduction in bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria, such as Gardnerella and Prevotella.
“Vaginal discomfort is a leading reason women seek healthcare advice, and traditional care leaves women more likely to be misdiagnosed than correctly diagnosed, and more likely to recur their infections than to get better,” said Dr. Kate McClean, Evvy’s chief medical officer, in an email. “This study is the first to demonstrate that personalized, microbiome-informed care can dramatically improve both recurrence rates and microbiome restoration. It validates that precision medicine – powered by deeper data and proactive patient support – can radically improve outcomes in vaginal health.”
Currently, more than a third of counties in the U.S. don’t have an OBGYN, and those that do often face long wait times for appointments. Evvy believes its at-home platform could improve this care gap for patients.
McClean added that this study is “just the beginning” for the company. It’s currently running another study on its ability to predict fertility outcomes. Evvy launched its fertility insights offering in March, which offers a test that measures protective bacteria that is associated with improved fertility. It also provides a microbiome diversity score, as greater microbiome diversity is linked to worse in vitro fertilization and pregnancy outcomes. Lastly, it tests for “fertility disruptors,” or levels of bacteria associated with negative fertility outcomes.
Evvy also hopes to expand into other areas of women’s health in the future, including preterm birth and gynecologic cancers, McClean said.
There are other vaginal microbiome testing companies as well, including Juno Bio. This company also offers at-home testing and access to one-on-one coaching.
Photo: Drazen Zigic, Getty Images
