Sex, Hormones, and What's New For Post-Menopausal Women - #155

For decades, women have been told to wait it out. Daré Bioscience founder and CEO Sabrina Martucci Johnson joins Afterpause to talk about sildenafil cream for women, a new hormone therapy ring, vaginal microbiome health, and the future of menopause care.

Sabrina founded Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: DARE) in 2015 to close the gap between promising science and real solutions for women. She holds degrees in Biomedical Engineering (Tulane), Biochemical Engineering (University College London), and International Management (Thunderbird). She serves on the boards of AtaiBeckley, Biocom California (as chair), and BIO. Her work has been recognized by Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Pacific Southwest), Fierce Pharma’s Most Influential People in Biopharma, the Medicine Maker Power List, Forbes 50 over 50: Innovation, and Endpoints Women in Biopharma.

In this conversation, she explains why women’s health has been underfunded for so long, what’s changing, and which new treatments postmenopausal women should be watching.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why women’s health research and innovation have lagged, and why 2026 may be a turning point

  • What female sexual arousal disorder is, how it differs from low libido, and how DARE to PLAY, a topical sildenafil cream, works

  • How a 28-day intravaginal ring combining bioidentical estradiol and progesterone could simplify hormone therapy 

  • Why the vaginal microbiome matters after menopause, and how Flora Sync LF5 fits in alongside vaginal estrogen

  • A hormone-free option in development for painful sex caused by vaginal atrophy, including for breast cancer survivors

  • The gap in treatment for persistent HPV and bacterial vaginosis

  • Sabrina’s take on unregulated peptides, testosterone for women, and how to advocate for yourself in the healthcare system

Learn more about Dare Bioscience:

https://darebioscience.com/

 

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If you’re a Chicago-area midlife woman, check out the Chicago Menopause Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to navigating menopause locally with experts:

https://chicagomenopausecollective.org

 

Jill Foos