Ada Ventures, Artesian, Entrepreneur First and Illumina Accelerator backed Juno Bio with $3.8 million to scale clinical infrastructure, which includes the first CLIA-certified sequencing laboratory focused on women’s health.
CLIA-certified laboratories meet rigorous federal quality standards. Juno Bio’s laboratory will expand access to precision vaginal microbiome testing and provider-led care.
“Bringing testing in-house gives us greater control over quality, speed, reliability and innovation,” said Hana Janebdar, cofounder and CEO of Juno Bio. “This new lab allows us to move beyond a wellness test into a provider-led clinical platform, supporting physician ordering, clinical review, actionable results, and future R&D in gynecological health.”
According to the company, the new sequencing laboratory creates a stronger foundation for future research in areas including recurrent infections, co-infections, fertility-related vaginal microbiome patterns, peri- and menopausal symptoms, and broader microbiome patterns across different life stages.
Prior to the new facility, testing was conducted at a company laboratory and by third parties.
‘Underfunded and under-researched’
Juno Bio was first known for developing a wellness test that helped women understand their microbiome. The company has sold more than 20,000 of those kits. Juno Bio said the tests filled a need especially as company data showed over 67% of customers received incorrect vaginal diagnosis with other brand testing and only 13% had been successfully treated.
While traditional tests focus on a limited set of pathogens, Juno Bio’s platform can identify microbes associated with co-infections, subclinical conditions and broader microbiome patterns.
The company recently launched its new vaginal microbiome and STI test that is processed in its CLIA-certified laboratory. The test analyzes about 10,000 bacteria and fungi, along with four common STIs, giving women a broader picture of the vaginal ecosystem. When paired with symptoms and clinician review, it can help clarify potential contributors to concerns such as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, aerobic vaginitis, cytolytic vaginosis and estrogen-related changes.
Juno Bio has also evolved into a clinical platform which has allowed it to expand its scientific and clinical infrastructure through pharmaceutical R&D partnerships, telehealth and pharmacy integrations. The original wellness test is available in 46 states.
“I think the bigger story is that we’re building much more than a laboratory or a test,” Janebdar said. “Our mission is to build the scientific and clinical infrastructure needed to transform how vaginal health conditions are understood, diagnosed, treated, and researched. Women’s health, and vaginal health in particular, has historically been underfunded and under-researched.”
The company is working to change that by combining advanced sequencing, provider-led care, and ongoing research into a platform that can continue evolving over time.
“While this funding, our new clinical test, and our CLIA-certified lab are important milestones, they’re all part of a much larger vision to advance precision women’s health and bring meaningful innovation to a category that has long been underserved,” Janebdar said.
