Being the first winner of the QEII Foundation’s Innovation Den does have a nice ring to it.
Using the momentum of her win, Dr. Jennifer Johnston, family physician and CEO of Elle, MD is continuing to work to make her Better Ring concept to safe contraception a reality.
Hailing from New Minas, Dr. Johnston made her winning pitch for a non-hormonal contraceptive ring to the Innovation Den judges in 2023.
“It's used monthly, so no daily pill to remember and is completely user-controlled — no painful procedure required. And we hope and expect it to also double as emergency contraception. Ultimately, I want this to be something I’d feel completely comfortable offering my own daughters, so the bar for quality and safety is extraordinarily high.”
Funded through the QEII Foundation’s Innovation Catalyst Fund grant program — established with a $1-million gift from the late John Hunkin and his wife, Susan Crocker — Innovation Den brings together some of the brightest minds in Nova Scotia with ideas to ignite and advance health care. John and Susan’s gift ensures the longevity of this pitch competition, with a minimum of $100,000 being granted each year.
Since receiving the funds through Innovation Den, Dr. Johnston’s Better Ring has successfully made it through several pre-clinical studies, making exciting progress toward clinical readiness.
“We’ve shown 100 per cent effectiveness in a small sheep study, with results that were statistically significant, well beyond the usual threshold. On the business side of things, the Better Ring has completed early safety testing with no concerns to date. We have refined our manufacturing process so it can scale. We have strengthened our team and filed a now published U.S. patent with a positive international search report. It has been busy!”
Biocompatibility studies to confirm the safety and effectiveness of the ring are also under way. Dr. Johnston notes one of the next milestones for the Better Ring is conducting a first-in-human trial, tentatively scheduled for July 2026.
Dr. Johnston nods to the exceptional impact winning the inaugural Innovation Den had on her journey as a medical entrepreneur.
“It wasn’t even so much the amount of funding but how the victory got the story of the Better Ring out there. It paved the way for more funders to take notice, which was so valuable. It allowed us to move ahead with other studies and building our team. What is unique about this funding stream is that we could put it towards whatever we thought was most important, instead of having very strict funding criteria we need to abide by. It really helped get our product to the next stage — it was a big help.”
This journey has really opened Dr. Johnston’s eyes to the challenges new medical inventors have when trying to get their idea off the ground.
“When I first had the idea for the Better Ring I thought ‘how hard can this be — people do this all the time.’ I may have been a bit naïve, but it has been an amazing experience. It’s been incredibly fulfilling work. I’m now scaling back significantly on my clinical practice to be full-time on the Better Ring project. This is the stuff I feel can make a difference to the most people.”
As she moves forward, Dr. Johnston has words of encouragement and appreciation to donors who make the QEII Foundation’s Innovation Catalyst Fund grant program possible.
“I thank anyone who has or is considering giving to healthcare innovation — it is a very unique area where you actually get to see things change and see your dollars going to things that make a difference. Without this type of funding, projects like mine can’t get off the ground — the innovation funding is really make or break for some people. That one donation can really spark something to make a global impact.”
Dr. Johnston judged the inspirational pitches during the second Innovation Den in 2024. With this unique perspective in mind, she has a message to future Innovation Den project pitchers.
“Present something original with potential for real impact — I believe that’s what helped my cause, especially when the problem is close to home. Try to have a bit of fun with it — keep it light and mix in the serious stuff. Let people see why you came up with this in the first place. How is it personal to you? Because I think that goes a long way.”
Investment in healthcare research makes these breakthrough opportunities like the Better Ring possible. The QEII Foundation is committed to supporting local innovators and researchers as they apply their expertise and new ideas to transform health care, here at home.
The next edition of the QEII Foundation’s Innovation Den is scheduled for April 16, 2026.
