Munich Startup: What does Meliodays do? What problem does it solve?
Simone Sabbione, Meliodays Medical: We are developing the first hormone-free, locally acting treatment for menstrual pain.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Simone Sabbione: Actually, not. This was also confirmed by our comprehensive patent research in 2022. No one has ever investigated what happens when a classic painkiller like ibuprofen is injected directly into the uterus. This is precisely our approach: With MelioOne We are developing an IUD that releases a local painkiller instead of hormones.
“If men had menstrual pain, this would have been solved long ago.”
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Simone Sabbione: I founded Meliodays together with my brother Benjamin and my husband Martin. For Martin, this is already his third startup, and Benjamin is a gynecologist. When I talked to him about menstrual pain, he said, "If men had menstrual pain, this would have been solved long ago." This sentence not only evoked anger in me, but also a strong motivation to create a better standard of care. This is how the idea for MelioOne was born.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Simone Sabbione: The first and biggest challenge so far was convincing the first investors of our idea. After that, things became much easier – and finally, in early 2025, we were able to launch an oversubscribed Pre-Seed Round successfully complete.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Simone Sabbione: We aim to begin preclinical trials and complete our seed round in one year. In five years, following a successful market launch in the US, MelioOne aims to have received regulatory approval in Europe as well.
“You never feel alone”
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Simone Sabbione: Thanks to the high density of startup events and hubs, it's always possible to exchange ideas with other founders. This provides inspiration and support – especially on the not-so-easy path of starting a business. You never feel alone, and that helps enormously.
Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?
Simone Sabbione: Open Champion.
