Hygeia Sciences

Hygeia Sciences was a pioneering biotechnology company based in Newton, Massachusetts, that revolutionized the home diagnostics market in the 1980s. Founded by Dr. Irving Berstein and Dr. Lovick Edward Cannon, the company was among the first to apply monoclonal antibody technology to consumer healthcare products. Its most significant achievement was the development of the "First Response" brand of one-step pregnancy and ovulation predictor tests, which offered unprecedented accuracy and speed for over-the-counter use. In 1987, the company was acquired by Tambrands for $47.8 million to complement its Tampax product line, and it was subsequently sold to Carter-Wallace in 1989. The technology developed by Hygeia Sciences laid the foundation for modern rapid diagnostic testing and established monoclonal antibodies as a viable tool for mass-market diagnostics.