PCI Biotech Holding is developing a light-directed drug delivery system with the potential to make drug delivery more efficient and targeted, and to reduce overall toxicity. The company's technology is based on the fact that cells absorb molecules, including proteins and other biological macromolecules, drug carriers such as antibodies and nanoparticles, and some small molecules, by engulfing them with the cell membrane, in a process called endocytosis. This creates an endosome, a small "bubble" of cell membrane enclosing the absorbed molecules. For the biologically active molecules to interact with the intracellular targets, they must be released from the endosome into the cytosol in a process called "endosomal escape."

Novosom has obtained an exclusive, worldwide licence from Isis Pharmaceuticals to access certain antisense inhibitors targeting CD40 mRNA. The German company expects to finalise a formulation for use in inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease, organ transplant complications or rheumatoid arthritis, where CD40 is a therapeutic target, in the next month or so, it told Scrip. It hopes to submit an IND in 2009 and start trials with the drug later that year or in 2010. The deal exercises an option agreement that the two companies signed in February 2007. Consequently Novosom will also have non-exclusive worldwide and sub-licensable access to some of Isis's core technology patents, including second-generation antisense chemistry. Isis will receive financial payments including an up-front exercise fee, milestone payments and royalties. Elias Papatheodorou, Novosom’s CEO, said that this was the third important step taken by the company; the first being a collaboration with ProNai Therapeutics in March 2007 to deliver DNAi-based cancer therapeutics and the second was the granting of US and European patents this May for its proprietary drug delivery technology Smarticles. Smarticles are fully charged reversible liposomes for the in vivo drug delivery of nucleotides like siRNA or antisense to targeted cells.

The dealmaking column is a survey of recent transactions, including strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, and financings, in the life sciences industries. Deals are listed by the following industry sectors: in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. All transactions are excerpted from Windhover's Strategic Transactions database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.

The dealmaking column is a survey of recent transactions, including strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, and financings, in the life sciences industries. Deals are listed by the following industry sectors: in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. All transactions are excerpted from Windhover's Strategic Transactions database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.