When Dr. Jennifer Johnston looks back on why she started her company Elle, MD Biotechnologies, the story begins long before patents, preclinical trials, or investor pitches. It starts with a deeply personal moment.
“A few years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and I realized that my long-term use of hormonal contraception may have had something to do with it,” she says, describing the experience that became the catalyst for her journey.
As a family physician practicing in Wolfville, Nova Scotia for more than a decade, that need for an alternative was reinforced by conversations she had every day. While navigating her own diagnosis and raising four children, she talked to her patients about what they were looking for in contraception, and it became clear: they wanted non-hormonal options that didn’t require extensive visits to a doctor.
“I’m constantly seeing women who are looking for something else,” says Johnston. “But we just don’t have a lot to offer them right now.”
This provided the impetus to develop the new solution that both she and her patients were asking for, which could supplement existing options.
Designing a Safe, User‑Controlled Option
With her medical background, Johnston was both motivated and had the expertise to help craft an alternative.
She developed The Better Ring—a copper-based, hormone-free contraceptive designed for monthly use, which is fully user-controlled, and engineered not to disrupt menstrual cycles. It avoids the systemic side effects of hormonal contraception and they’re aiming for the product to meet the highest of standards.
Elle. MD’s innovative Better Ring Product
“I want something that I would want my own kids to use, and so it has to be extremely effective and extremely safe. The bar is high,” she says.
That rigorous standard – for both safety and effectiveness – has shaped how Elle MD has grown from Day One.
From Concept to Early Validation
Once Johnston and her team developed this product, they embarked on a determined, thorough journey to demonstrate its effectiveness and protect their innovation.
They’ve completed six preclinical trials with positive results, and Elle MD has filed a patent in Canada, the United States and 50 other countries. Johnston says their most recent preclinical trial, conducted in sheep, delivered excellent results and gives their team a sense of confidence moving forward.
They’ve started conversations with Health Canada on building toward regulatory approval and a crucial next step: launching a human study as early as this summer.
Those positive, preliminary results have served as motivation for her and her team, and have helped open doors. They have hired three full time employees based in Nova Scotia, who have connected to the vision and the goal of this project.
“When you’re first going out, there’s a lot of skepticism,” says Johnston. “But as we go on and make more progress, you can see the skepticism turns to some excitement.”
Powered by a Supportive Innovation Ecosystem
Nova Scotia’s innovation community has played a key role in their growth by providing the right support at the right time.
Funding from Life Sciences Nova Scotia’s programs helped Elle, MD hire a new COO, Catherine McGuire, who has had a transformative effect on their team.
“I don’t know how I existed without her beforehand,” says Johnston. “It’s been amazing having her join the team.”
From Physician to Founder
Johnston has thrived on the challenge of shifting from her daily schedule as a physician, to working as a founder developing this innovation. Her role involves delivering presentations about the company to investors and answering their questions. They will be raising seed funding later in the year, and have molded their pitch to be as effective as possible in communicating the potential of their product.
“I enjoy this work so much,” says Johnston. “I find it so energizing to work on this problem with this dedicated, excited team, and it’s a lovely way to get to exercise different parts of your brain.”
Looking Ahead: Expanding Choice and Access
As they prepare for more trials and pitching for additional investment, Johnston and her team are motivated by their mission: giving women more choice, more agency and enriching health.
Once they receive regulatory approval, they hope the Better Ring can be an over-the-counter option and available for women without reliable access to high-quality healthcare.
“Ultimately, I want to expand access to contraception for women and girls, starting in Canada and then moving to the States and globally,” says Johnston.
