A unique Lithuanian invention for managing PMS symptoms is changing the medical approach to women’s health

Innovations in life sciences are increasingly born not only in laboratories but also from real-life experiences. One such example is Nettle – a technology developed by Emilė Radytė that helps thousands of women manage menstrual pain without medication. On September 17–18, at the international forum Life Sciences Baltics in Vilnius, organized by the Innovation Agency Lithuania, she will share how science, empathy, and design can come together to create a revolutionary innovation. 

Today, there are over 300 life sciences companies operating in Lithuania, and more than a third of them are startups, explains Martynas Survilas, Head of the Breakthrough Department at the Innovation Agency Lithuania. In just the past few years, Lithuanian companies have attracted tens of millions of euros in investment, with the largest being Flo Health – $200 million – and Pentasweet – €44 million. 

“International investment and export success show that Lithuania’s life sciences sector is mature and capable of delivering solutions that truly impact the global market. Investors value both the strong infrastructure and the high competence of local specialists,” says M. Survilas. 

One story that exemplifies this trust is the invention by Lithuanian scientist Emilė Radytė, which has earned international recognition in the field of women’s health. 

A product that changed women’s lives 

A neuroscientist who studied at Harvard and Oxford, Emilė Radytė now lives in the United States and leads the company Samphire Neuroscience. At just 30 years old, she was named to Forbes 30 under 30, and her device Nettle was awarded Europe’s Medical Innovation of the Year. It is the first certified medical device to reduce PMS symptoms – but its origins are far from the lab. 

“I saw how many conditions specific to women don’t have dedicated treatments – like postpartum depression, PMS, menopause. They’re often treated as ‘regular’ depression, but these are two entirely different biological mechanisms,” Radytė explains. This gap – between widely recognized symptoms and the medical system’s tendency to ignore them – sparked her desire to innovate. Still, the path to a finished product wasn’t simple. 

“The biggest challenge was balancing scientific precision with real-world needs. And we also had to break through a huge wall of skepticism – women’s pain hadn’t been taken seriously as a medical issue for a very long time. What helped was support from like-minded people – from fellow scientists to women themselves, who shared their stories and encouraged us to keep going,” she recalls. 

That’s how Nettle was born: a clinically tested, CE-certified medical device across the European Union and the United Kingdom, which stimulates areas of the brain involved in pain perception, thus reducing PMS symptoms. Currently, steps are being taken to have it reimbursed by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), and preparations are underway for FDA approval in the US. Meanwhile, Samphire Neuroscience already has new ideas on how to extend neuromodulation technology to other stages of women’s lives. 

“We want women’s biology to be seen not as a limitation, but as a strength – and technology can help make that happen,” says Emilė Radytė. This approach – where innovation grows from personal empathy and interdisciplinary insight – is increasingly echoed across Lithuania’s life sciences ecosystem. 

Lithuania is on the right track 

Over the past decade, not only has Lithuania’s life sciences sector grown significantly, Emilė Radytė notes, but interest in neurotechnologies has grown too. “When I left to study abroad, neuroscience in Lithuania was barely even mentioned. Now I often hear about young researchers interested in neurotechnologies, new study programs are emerging at universities, and events dedicated to this field are being organized. There’s still room to grow – but the direction is right,” she says. 

Yet enthusiasm alone isn’t enough for true breakthroughs – it’s also essential to strengthen interdisciplinarity: “In the UK and the US, there’s significant investment in interdisciplinary research, and universities actively collaborate with industry,” she explains. In Lithuania, she believes, there’s still a need for a more structured ecosystem that encourages professionals from different fields to work together from the initial idea stage to commercialization. 

Mentorship – both academic and business-related – is equally important. Another key factor is having a global perspective: “In different countries, the same problems are often tackled in different ways, and collaboration helps us reach breakthroughs faster,” Emilė Radytė notes. 

She will share her experience at the international forum Life Sciences Baltics, which will bring together more than 800 participants from around the world – from researchers to policymakers. 

Radytė’s most important advice for young innovators planning to attend the forum? Be curious and don’t hesitate to make connections. “Look not only for partners but also for people who inspire you. The best ideas are often born not in conference halls, but over a cup of coffee. And most importantly – don’t wait: if something sparks your interest, reach out, meet up, and keep the conversation going.”