# Cadence OTC Condoms can be bought over-the-counter, but The Pill can't. We're changing that. - Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/cadenceotc - Entity ID: wefunder:company:152087 - Last updated: 2026-06-10T05:01:21Z - Generated at: 2026-06-10T12:23:01Z ## Quick facts - Leading the Rx-to-OTC switch for The Pill to be sold without a prescription - Late stages of FDA approval to bring OTC birth control to market, with 3 years of market exclusivity - Already in market with 1st Morning After Pill in convenience stores - $3M revenue run rate (year 1) - Exclusive partnership with #1 distributor of healthcare products in 150K+ convenience stores - In 10+ retail chains including 7-Eleven, XtraMart, Jiffy Mart - Acquired the rights to three of the most popular oral contraceptive formulations from a major pharma - Team from Berkeley, Cambridge, Stanford, Yale & top brands like Flonase, OneTouch, & Herbal Essences - $36M in capital raised to date, backed by SEDF, RH Capital, Elizabeth Banks, Disney family ## Active fundraises - wefunder:fundraise:109394: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) - wefunder:fundraise:109393: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) ## Investor memos - Jennifer Justice: https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/remote_files/820031-a6RhKaDqjRcRyJlxlk16rw58/Cadence_OTC_Investment_Memo.pdf ## Story We’re working with the FDA to enable The Pill to be sold over-the-counter– without a prescription– via the well-established first-in-class Rx-to-OTC switch process. Our product is the combination pill, which is the type of oral contraceptive used by more than 90% of women using a birth control pill.Simultaneously, we’re amplifying access to existing over-the-counter contraceptives, creating the first emergency contraceptive (i.e. Morning After Pill) available in convenience stores such as 7-11, Circle K, Xtra Mart, and Jiffy Mart. Cadence OTC’s flagship birth control product has already generated a $3M revenue run rate in its first month of sales.Cadence OTC is redefining the $21B reproductive health product industry, with backing from Soros Economic Development Fund, VCs including RH Capital and NJF Capital, the Global Fund for Women, the Disney family, and A-list celebrities like Elizabeth Banks.On track to become the #1 OTC birth control brand in America, with a portfolio of products, Cadence OTC is reducing barriers to contraception and reproductive health, fostering a healthier future for all.In the United States, there are 2.3M unintended pregnancies annually. This high rate primarily stems from limited access to contraceptives. Despite widespread necessity and acceptance, the birth control pill, essential for many, has remained prescription-only for more than 60 years.Among teenagers, this rate is even higher, with three-quarters of teen pregnancies being unintended. Despite a decrease in teen pregnancy rates in recent years, the U.S. still reports significantly higher figures at 13.5%, compared to countries like the UK and Canada, which have rates of less than 1%. Unintended pregnancies can lead to detrimental outcomes for both the mother and child, including poverty, lower educational achievements, and health issues.For some, obtaining birth control is complicated and restrictive. The process requires prescriptions, medical consultations, and navigating insurance. Difficulty obtaining a prescription or missing a refill can lead to unintended pregnancies even when access is normally available.While condoms are easily accessible over-the-counter, female-centric birth control is restricted by archaic healthcare regulatory policy created in the 1960s. The path forward requires dismantling barriers to ensure equitable access to birth control for all.Cadence OTC makes obtaining birth control as easy as buying condoms.We overcame a major barrier-to-entry by acquiring rights to 3 of the most popular oral contraceptive formulas to lead the Rx-to-OTC switch for combined oral contraceptives. The process cannot be initiated with a new product or a generic product, only with previously approved brands with a long history of safety as a prescription product. Over the past seven years, Cadence OTC has diligently worked with the FDA to transition our first combination birth control pill, Zena, to OTC status. Zena is formulated with the lowest effective dose of estrogen and the safest form of progesterone, making it one of the safest birth control options available. The OTC switch will enable immediate access to birth control - without the need for a prescription, a doctor's visit, or insurance approval. Zena is not yet FDA approved for OTC sale.Zena's innovative packaging design distinguishes active pills from placebo pills, addressing the common errors associated with traditional rectangular blister packs. The two types of tablets are often mixed up during both manufacturing and use, leading to 12 recalls in the past decade. Our unique packaging has been granted both trademark and design protection by the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). Since Cadence OTC has the only triangular blister packs, the design has become a proprietary and distinctive element of our brand.At the same time, we’re making comprehensive, reliable, and hassle-free birth control a reality for all people now. As we proceed through the FDA approval process for Zena, we’re tackling the other barriers to contraceptive access: distribution and cost.Our exclusive partnership with Lil’ Drug Store, the #1 supplier of health products to convenience stores, means we have access to their network of over 180K stores nationwide– even in hard-to-reach ‘healthcare deserts’. Our first commercial product, launched in January 2024, is an OTC emergency contraceptive called “Morning After Pill”. The product is designed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or condom failure. It’s not only a single, easy to use pill, but it’s also inexpensive to manufacture. Ours is half the price of the leading competitor.Cadence OTC's Morning After Pill is safe and effective, not harming an existing pregnancy and not an abortifacient. The pill contains 1.5 milligrams of Levonorgestrel (the progestin used in most daily birth control pills) and effectively prevents an egg's fertilization by delaying egg release.We aim to make Cadence OTC Morning After Pill and our upcoming portfolio products, including an ultra-sensitive pregnancy test and a UTI emergency relief kit, widely available across every single convenience store in the U.S.The extensive FDA approval process ensures that potential users can confidently and safely use our product without a doctor's prescription. Per the FDA, our products will incorporate technology-assisted labels and online health questionnaires to help consumers effectively assess any risk, ensuring they can make informed decisions about their birth control without a doctor's guidance.Achieving FDA approval for the Rx-to-OTC switch grants Cadence OTC three years of market exclusivity in an expanding industry. This period is a significant opportunity for us to build and establish our brand as a leader in accessible contraception.Major medical and public health organizations, such as the American Medical Association, the largest association of physicians and medical students in the U.S., and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the leading professional organization for obstetricians and gynecologists, strongly support Cadence OTC's initiative to make birth control pills available over-the-counter.We've secured funding from a dedicated group of investors committed to universal birth control access, including innovative companies like Soros Economic Development Fund and VCs like RH Capital and NJF Capital.Our impactful investors include A-list celebrities such as Elizabeth Banks, families like that of Abigail Disney, and prominent foundations such as the Global Fund for Women.Our team blends award-winning entrepreneurs, medical doctors, professors, and dealmakers with deep expertise in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, proven success in business and social advocacy, and a shared commitment to improving access to contraceptives for women. With previous experience leading Rx-to-OTC switches for other drugs and generating billions in value for commercial brands, we are exceptionally qualified to bring Zena over-the-counter and build the leading contraceptives brand in the U.S. and beyond.In the post-Roe era, demand for accessible OTC contraceptives has become more critical than ever. Cadence OTC is strategically tapping into a combined market opportunity of $21 billion that spans contraceptives, pregnancy tests, and UTI treatments.The oral contraceptive OPill made headlines recently for being approved OTC. Their product is a progestin-only pill (POP), also known as a 'mini-pill'. This is different from Cadence OTC's Zena, which is a combination estrogen/progestin pill, often referred to as 'The Pill'. For context, approximately 94% of birth control prescriptions are for the regular (combination) Pill, with only about 6% for the mini-pill.The recent approval of the mini-pill is highly beneficial to our process for Zena because it establishes a precedent for OTC oral contraceptives and has demonstrated remarkably strong support among the FDA’s expert advisory committee for transitioning all oral contraceptives to OTC status.Cadence OTC is leveraging retail and direct-to-consumer sales strategies to meet the modern consumer where they are, online and offline. Our partnerships with major retail chains and wholesale distributors ensure our OTC birth control and healthcare solutions are widely available throughout the U.S. Additionally, Cadence OTC offers subscription services for regular, continuous access to our products.Our products are priced below market rates due to cost-efficient licensing and manufacturing processes, ensuring significant profit margins.Following the successful launch of Cadence OTC’s Morning After Pill, we’re on track to introduce our ultra-sensitive pregnancy test followed by the UTI emergency relief kit by the end of the year. Once Zena, our combination birth control pill, is approved, we will have already established our brand across three product lines. Zena XT, a higher-dose, extended-cycle daily birth control pill, will follow as the fifth product in our lineup.Cadence OTC is on track to become the leading provider of OTC contraceptives within the next five years, with plans to extend our international footprint upon receiving regulatory approvals to introduce OTC birth control options globally.Cadence OTC is launching on Wefunder so our customers, friends, and everyone passionate about reproductive rights can own a stake in our journey to revolutionize contraceptive access. Our campaign on Wefunder is a critical part of a larger institutional fundraising round, led by the Soros Economic Development Fund. By investing in Cadence OTC, you'll be investing on the same major terms as renowned investors and visionaries, including VCs like RH Capital and NJF Capital, the Disney family, celebrities like Elizabeth Banks, and impactful organizations such as the Global Fund for Women.Join us in creating a world where contraceptives are universally accessible—eliminating friction and advancing health equity for all. Because everyone, everywhere, deserves the autonomy to make their own reproductive health decisions. ## FAQ 1. **How will Zena compete with Opill, the first FDA-approved OTC birth control on the market?** - Thank you for asking, Susannah. More than 90% of oral contraceptive pill users today are using the regular birth control pill, like Zena. Less than 10% are using progesterone only pills like Opill. Opill is the better choice if you are sensitive to estrogen and if you are breastfeeding. Zena will not be competing for those users because Zena is a combination pill that contains estrogen and progesterone. Ultimately, we want people to use the Pill that works best for them. We'll compete on maki... 2. **Hi there, a) What is your most recent monthly burn rate? b) What is your most recent monthly cash on hand? c) Are you raising a parallel angel or VC round simultaneously? If yes, who is investing in this round?** - Hi Teddy, thanks for these questions that are probably useful for others to know as well. a) Our most recent monthly burn rate is ~$400K. b) Our most recent cash on hand is ~$2.2M c) Yes we are simultaneously raising a venture/angel round with the same major terms. The lead for this round is a very sophisticated impact venture group called Soros Economic Development Fund, and also participating are Disney family office, Spielberg family office, Elizabeth Banks, Argosy Foundation, and some oth... 3. **1) I'm trying to get a handle on your product history. Your pitch states that you acquired "rights to 3 of the most popular oral contraceptive formulas..." Does that mean Zena was previously available by prescription? (And if so, why not continue operating that revenue channel...** - Hi Kevin, Thanks for the questions. 1) Yes Zena was available by prescription as Alesse. Cadence doesn't market prescription medications, we're focused on OTC access. 2) Yes Alesse is an FDA-approved product so safety and efficacy are established. The FDA's Rx-to-OTC switch process requires studies to prove that consumers can understand and follow the information without a physician's guidance. 3) No hurdles - our pregnancy test and UTI kit components are already FDA cleared for OTC sale. 4) ... 4. **Hey I run an equity crowdfunding newsletter that goes out to 4,500 investors (https://crowdscale.beehiiv.com/). I'd love to interview you about your raise if you're interested! Reach out to hellocrowdscale@gmail.com to schedule something!** - Hey Kevin, sounds good, thanks. 5. **2023 Financials coming soon?** - Hi Matthew, yes we're actually finishing a full audit process for 2023 which has delayed our financials a bit. We should be able to forward by the end of this coming week. ## Team - Samantha Miller (Co-Founder & CEO) - Nap Hosang (Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer) - Malcolm Potts, MBBS. PhD (Co-Founder & Scientific Advisor) - Simon Gilburt, PhD (SVP Clinical Research & Medical Affairs) - Kate Voyten (SVP Commercial) - Michelle Chun (VP Operations) - Tim Koogle (Board Chair) - Abigail Disney (Board Member) - Richard Lowe (employee) ## Recent posts - Discover Event Recording (2024-09-17T16:40:38Z) ## Q&A - Q: Any update on the 2023 financials? - A: Amitesh, We posted 2023 financial on this site on the "Details" tab, yesterday-4/26/24. Let us know if you have any questions. - Q: 1) I'm trying to get a handle on your product history. Your pitch states that you acquired "rights to 3 of the most popular oral contraceptive formulas..." Does that mean Zena was previously available by prescription? (And if so, why not continue operating that revenue channel until OTC availability became viable?) 2) Assuming that you acquired a previously-appoved product, I would think that safety and efficacy would be established. Can you explain why you need to have a trial? 3) Are there any hurdles that still need to be cleared for introduction of the pregnancy test and UTI kit? 4) What's the exit strategy? - A: Hi Kevin, Thanks for the questions. 1) Yes Zena was available by prescription as Alesse. Cadence doesn't market prescription medications, we're focused on OTC access. 2) Yes Alesse is an FDA-approved product so safety and efficacy are established. The FDA's Rx-to-OTC switch process requires studies to prove that consumers can understand and follow the information without a physician's guidance. 3) No hurdles - our pregnancy test and UTI kit components are already FDA cleared for OTC sale. 4) Cadence has contemplated a number of exit strategies for our investors. At this time an acquisition is the most likely scenario. The value of a high quality OTC reproductive health portfolio has already stimulated early enquires from large consumer healthcare companies. - Q: How will Zena compete with Opill, the first FDA-approved OTC birth control on the market? - A: Thank you for asking, Susannah. More than 90% of oral contraceptive pill users today are using the regular birth control pill, like Zena. Less than 10% are using progesterone only pills like Opill. Opill is the better choice if you are sensitive to estrogen and if you are breastfeeding. Zena will not be competing for those users because Zena is a combination pill that contains estrogen and progesterone. Ultimately, we want people to use the Pill that works best for them. We'll compete on making sure that for everyone who wants Zena it is within reach! - Q: Hi, Kindly send me your pitch deck. Equally a synergy with our client www.shhhmenopausewellness.com. mw@miruminvest.com BR, Mike - A: Sent! - Q: Dear Cadence OTC Team, I represent D3VC, a venture fund specializing in leading equity crowdfunding deals. In light of the nuanced landscape of reproductive rights, we're interested in understanding more about Cadence OTC's strategic positioning and future directions. We're curious about Cadence OTC's unique value propositions to the reproductive healthcare solutions space, beyond its over-the-counter availability. What sets your offering apart in this competitive landscape? Additionally, considering the complex and varying regulatory environment for birth control across states, could you share how Cadence OTC intends to navigate these challenges to ensure compliance and successful market adaptation? We are keen to learn about your strategies and vision for impacting reproductive healthcare meaningfully. Thank you! - A: Q1. In light of the nuanced landscape of reproductive rights, we're interested in understanding more about Cadence OTC's strategic positioning and future directions. Answer: thanks for asking. Cadence’s strategic position in the nuanced area of reproductive rights is focused on expanding equitable access for all people. We see our role in the ecosystem as presenting solutions for people who have a need for pre-emptive and emergency contraception. Our target audience is people with female anatomy and the common conditions that might be managed with OTC products and devices like contraception, timing of periods, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and urinary tract infections. Our intent is to use the principles of human centered design to improve systems and innovate. Our objective is to be a trusted source of information and affordable OTC products that speak to common reproductive health needs. Our top priority is reversible contraception, using OTC products. OTC status is key to expanding avenues of distribution that get us closer to the end-user and decreases costs. Q2. We're curious about Cadence OTC's unique value propositions to the reproductive healthcare solutions space, beyond its over-the-counter availability. What sets your offering apart in this competitive landscape? Answer: Cadence OTC’s value proposition is ease of access mediated through affordable pricing, consumer experience finding and interacting with our products, and first mover advantage in the combined oral contraceptive (COC) drug class, the most frequently prescribed birth control category. On the technical side, Cadence’s unique proprietary blister pack design eliminates manufacturing mix-ups of active/placebo tablets that have caused many recalls with the rectangular pill arrays commonly used today. This triangular blister pack design is our brand icon and is protected by trademark and trade dress. Q3. Additionally, considering the complex and varying regulatory environment for birth control across states, could you share how Cadence OTC intends to navigate these challenges to ensure compliance and successful market adaptation? Answer: OTC drugs are federally regulated and do not require state licensed professionals to participate in the decision to use or the sale of the medications in our portfolio. We continue to monitor the situation closely with legal advice to remain compliant with changes in the laws in each state we operate. So far, we have not run into any unmanageable issues. We plan to be present in markets where there is demand for our products and embrace the opportunity to educate where needed. Fortunately, our products fall into a category where we do not need to generate demand. The unmet demand is self-evident in the number of unintended pregnancies that occur each year (2.3 million), that do not seem to be addressed by the current offerings. We thank you for your questions. - Q: Hey I run an equity crowdfunding newsletter that goes out to 4,500 investors (https://crowdscale.beehiiv.com/). I'd love to interview you about your raise if you're interested! Reach out to hellocrowdscale@gmail.com to schedule something! - A: Hey Kevin, sounds good, thanks. - Q: Hi there, a) What is your most recent monthly burn rate? b) What is your most recent monthly cash on hand? c) Are you raising a parallel angel or VC round simultaneously? If yes, who is investing in this round? - A: Hi Teddy, thanks for these questions that are probably useful for others to know as well. a) Our most recent monthly burn rate is ~$400K. b) Our most recent cash on hand is ~$2.2M c) Yes we are simultaneously raising a venture/angel round with the same major terms. The lead for this round is a very sophisticated impact venture group called Soros Economic Development Fund, and also participating are Disney family office, Spielberg family office, Elizabeth Banks, Argosy Foundation, and some other angels. Let us know if you have further questions. - Q: Hello, I invested the minimum amount to Cadence OTC over a year ago. I believe that it should not be as difficult to obtain birth control, as is currently is. What is the status of this product being put onto shelves? Are you any closer? What can we expect of our investment money? Thanks, Julie - Q: Hi, Did you close the round early? I missed it - Q: Does the company have a loss-prevention mitigation strategy, or is that left to the retailers individually? I was discussing the morning after product with a 7/11 franchisee in an economically disadvantaged area. He said that it would be considered a very high-risk product for shoplifting and, if they were ever to carry it (they currently don't carry the Cadence ECP now), it would be kept behind the glass enclosure to prevent theft (along with cigarettes/vaping, condoms and anything else of real value). That would seem counter-intuitive to making ECPs visible/accessible to women who need it. Zena/OCs would certainly be the same. Does the company have an approach to addressing what seems to be a fundamental barrier to adoption: barriers (sometimes literal) to accessing the product? Along with that can come stigma from needing to ask, being observed asking, etc. - A: Lance, I'm glad you asked this question because this has been a key consideration for Cadence as well. The way we're addressing the high potential for "product shrinkage" in c-stores is by offering disposable product hang cards that look like our product but are actually a cardboard face that hangs next to the condoms. Customers can take the Morning After Pill card off the shelf and place it on the counter along with anything else they're buying, and the cashier replaces the card with the real carton that's in a caddy behind the counter. No words need to be exchanged and no unlocking with a key. This is a simple & silent process that has worked well for other "high shrinkage" products. Here's a photo of the Morning After Pill hang card in a 7-Eleven https://docsend.com/view/535cq4i69k8hy28e - Q: A great piece of article describing informative things for readers,thanks for sharing such an amazing article.Tell me which brand is best for controlling pragnancy and if you want to download gbwhatsapp,you can use https://gbapp.com.pk/ - A: The brands of OTC emergency contraceptives all have the same active ingredient and the same efficacy for preventing pregnancy. The key to efficacy is taking it quickly after unprotected sex - the sooner you take it, the better it works (hours matter). The advantage of our Morning After Pill is that you can find it quickly at convenience stores, whereas Plan B is generally only sold at stores with a pharmacy, and Cadence's Morning After Pill is half the price of Plan B. - Q: Who is the '#1 distributor' you mention in Overview item #4? Also, you say something along the lines of 'we have purchased the rights to three different prescription-only formulations of birth control'. Just curious why you purchased the rights to three different formulations? Is the idea that your formulation cannot perfectly duplicate any other pre-existing formulation, and that you must come up with your own? Otherwise, how do you plan to use or study the three different formulations? And how might your formulation be similar, or differ? - A: Lynn, thanks for these questions. The #1 distributor of healthcare products to convenience stores is Lil' Drug Store Products headquartered in Cedar Rapids Iowa. We have muliple formulations of birth control pills because some people prefer a somewhat higher or lower dose. Our first daily pill OTC will be 20mcg estrogen + 100mcg levonorgestrel and our second daily Pill OTC will be 30mcg estrogen + 150mcg levonorgestrel. Most people do well with the lower dose pill but some people may have some breakthrough bleeding (spotting) on this low dose and prefer the slightly higher dose. All three of our formulations were already approved as prescription products many years ago, so we don't need to study the medicines themselves, we're only developing & studying the consumer labeling and packaging so consumers can understand all the information about the products without the help of a physician. Make sense? - Q: When does this round end? - A: Because of the positive response we've received in the last few weeks, we've decided to keep the round open for now. Thanks! - Q: Shame on you - A: ??? - Q: Hey there, I run a community venture fund and have a few questions for you that I'd love to ask 1 on 1 if possible. What's the best way to reach you before end of the community round for a zoom meeting? - A: Hey Tristin, I sent you a LinkedIn connection so we can DM each other that way and arrange a 1:1 conversation.