Meliodays Medical has entered into a partnership with Celanese Corporation for the preclinical development of MelioOne. This is the first non-contraceptive, hormone-free IUD designed to specifically relieve menstrual pain. With MelioOne, the Munich startup is developing an IUD that releases painkillers locally instead of hormones.
MelioOne combines innovative medical product design with a non-hormonal active ingredient and Celanese’s VitalDose Drug Delivery Platform. This platform enables reliable and localized drug release that works directly at the source of pain while avoiding systemic side effects – such as those that can occur with oral painkillers.
Revolutionizing the treatment of menstrual pain
Simone Sabbione, CEO and co-founder of Meliodays, explains:
“More than 80 percent of menstruating people suffer from period pain and cramps during their menstruation. Our partnership with Celanese is the first milestone on our way to our goal of revolutionizing the treatment of menstrual pain. Our localized release works directly at the source of pain and avoids systemic side effects that are often associated with oral intake of painkillers. Given the significant impact of menstrual pain on the work, school, and social lives of those affected, we are excited to take a leading role alongside Celanese to enable menstruating people to have a natural cycle without limitations.”
With this approach, Meliodays addresses an area with high unmet medical need. The goal: an effective treatment for menstrual pain without resorting to hormones or systemic painkillers.
Celanese brings proven platform technology
Celanese’s VitalDose Drug Delivery Platform has been used in approved medicines in the US and Europe for over two decades – particularly in patient-focused applications in women’s health. The technology is suitable for controlled release of various types of active ingredients and is used in a variety of dosage forms.
“We are pleased to collaborate with Meliodays in the early development of their IUD, with the hope that it will eventually be prescribed by medical professionals to free women from menstrual pain”,
says Brian Duke, Sr. Marketing Manager Pharmaceutical Solutions at Celanese.
“Our Celanese team is proud that the VitalDose Drug Delivery Platform has been used in patient-focused therapies for such a long time to provide women with practical and effective treatment. We will continue to advance its application in therapies for women and wherever long-term drug release offers benefits.”
With MelioOne, Meliodays aims to enable menstruating people to have a pain-free period – without disrupting the natural cycle. The cooperation with Celanese represents an important step in further developing the product into a marketable therapy.
