BiotaLife® Healthcare brings university innovation to women’s health 

Women’s intimate health remains an area where significant needs are underserved by research and product development. BiotaLife® Healthcare has been established to change that; developing microbiome-first products designed around women’s health.   

Many everyday intimate health products can disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria. BiotaLife® Healthcare is taking a different approach, developing products designed to work alongside the microbiome.  

Its newly launched BloomCalma™ product, is a pH-balanced, microbiome-friendly intimate moisturising gel for external use during pregnancy and after birth.   

The launch represents an important step in the process for the UCL and King’s College London partnership, and reflects the kind of journey UCL Ventures exists to support: helping researchers protect promising ideas, explore their commercial potential and build a credible route towards market.  

Developing a microbiome-first approach  

BloomCalma was developed by Professor Paul Long, Professor of Pharmacognosy and Microbiology at King’s College London, with guidance from BiotaLife® Healthcare’s independent scientific advisers. Research into existing products, their pH and their effects on the microbiome informed the formulation of BloomCalma.   

The research team used an AI-assisted accelerated formulation design process to adapt an existing patented formulation into a cosmetic product. The underlying patent is jointly owned by King’s and UCL, with UCL managing the patent rights under an agreement with King’s.   

BloomCalma is the first step in a wider pipeline. BiotaLife® Healthcare is also advancing DuoBalance™, its patented candidate medical device gel for common intimate infections, into clinical trials.   

Professor Catherine Tuleu (UCL School of Pharmacy), an independent member of BiotaLife’s Scientific Advisory Board, said: 

“For far too long, women’s physiological needs have been overlooked by one-size-fits-all formulations. What inspires me about BiotaLife is its commitment to changing that, combining rigorous formulation science with real empathy to develop microbiome-friendly products designed for women at every stage of life.” 

Supporting the journey from research to market  

BiotaLife® Healthcare was established to translate research arising from the academic partnership between UCL and King’s into products for women. The company was formed with support from UCL Ventures and King’s Innovation Catalyst.   

UCL Ventures supported the academic founders in protecting the technology through patents, provided funding for the research programme behind DuoBalance, and brought mentorship and connections to help turn the research into a company.   

That hands-on partnership reflects UCL Ventures’ wider approach to commercialisation: working side by side with researchers to protect and shape innovations, develop credible plans and connect promising research with the expertise, partners and investment it needs to progress.   

Dr Anne Lane, Chief Executive of UCL Ventures, said:  

“UCL Ventures backed the science when it was still an idea in the lab. BloomCalma reaching women this November is a direct result of that partnership, demonstrating the importance of collaboration and support for academics to bring their research to market.”   

What comes next for BiotaLife® Healthcare  

BloomCalma is available direct to consumers through BiotaLife® Healthcare, priced at £18 for 30ml. The company plans to reach expectant parents through antenatal and maternity care partners, while continuing the development of DuoBalance towards clinical trials.   

For UCL researchers, clinicians and innovators, BiotaLife® Healthcare is an example of what can happen when promising research has potential beyond the university. UCL Ventures works with academics from the earliest stages of an idea through protection, development, licensing and venture creation, helping research find the route to market, where it can make the greatest impact.   

If you have research that you think could have potential beyond the university, find your UCL Ventures Business Manager who can support you in finding the best route to impact.