Portrait No. 001
Alexandra Haessler
Founder & CMO
FemPulse
Raised — $17 M, Series D open
The vagina is an enigma, meaning many things to many people. No other human organ is as celebrated and reviled, coveted and abused, or life-defining. To this Urogyencologist, the vagina represents a portal to life and access to some of the most powerful nerves in the human body. Surely urologists were working to develop a vaginally wearable neuromodulation device to treat the nerves adjacent the upper vagina that control bladder function in women with overactive bladder, but they weren't. Why would they, since urology text books illustrate these nerves around the prostate, almost never depicting them in the human female. My insight was nagging, so I went for it and FemPulse was born! Our vaginal neuromodulation ring will deliver electrical impulses to nerves traveling between the bladder and spinal cord to treat urgency / frequency of urination and urge incontinence in women.
In her words
“Despite being the “gold standard” neuromodulation therapy, the spinal implants have treated < 0.1% of people with Overactive Bladder in the western world cumulatively in 25+ years.”
Chapter I
The toughest challenges you've faced as a founder.
Starting a medical device company was destined to be a fool's errand, so they said. One foot in front of the other, I said. Just write a broad patent (or 5) for a neuromodulation device that women wear in the upper vagina to stimulate the nerves that control the bladder, even though you know little about neuroscience and nothing about electrical engineering. Keep working at the solo-surgical practice that you started when you were pregnant with your second child. Cold call leaders in Female Urology and pester spine surgeons, anesthesiologists and pain doctors at neuromodulation conferences to confirm you aren't off your rocker. Raise good money from angels to make a first-in-woman device and test it on yourself. Spend countless hours explaining to male engineers, scientists and businessmen that women do wear useful things in their vaginas, “No, they don’t just fall out”, and \"Yes, most women would prefer this to the spinal implant alternative\". Check, check, and check. After a few feasibility and usability trials FemPulse has launched EVANESCE-II, our national pivotal trial. We have had 4 rounds of funding from individuals and family offices. The hardest part was the self-doubt and I am over it!
Chapter II
Your vision.
Health care costs are out of control and not equitably distributed, as physicians are well aware. During our training years we work in a wide range of health care settings, witnessing up front and personally how the disparity affects individuals and entire communities. This awareness is not wasted on us, but there is not much physicians can do to change the administrative system. My personal \"win\" with FemPulse will be to treat more women with less money. Despite being the “gold standard” neuromodulation therapy, the spinal implants have treated < 0.01% of people with Overactive Bladder in the western world cumulatively in 25+ years. Every day > 20 million American women have OAB. At $25,0000 a pop device companies, hospitals and surgeons are not incentivized to find a non-surgical and easily adoptable alternative. Well, not until now. Let’s do this!
Chapter III
The impact you want to leave behind — for your industry, your community, and the women who come next.
As a urogynecologist my life's work has been to treat women with prolapse and incontinence. I have borne witness to the conversations they have with themselves about the shame they carry, while other women laugh at the absurdity of it all. Society influences the sense of comfort women have about our bodies. Well, women are about to realize that the vagina is a portal we can employ to influence some of the most important nerves in humans. May my legacy be to positively influence the sense of confidence, wonder, and ownership women possess about our bodies.