Start-Up Previews (07/2008)
Executive Summary
A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current, all-profiles issue of Start-Up. This month's profile groups are "Glioblastoma Start-Ups Get Specific," "Glaucoma Start-Ups Reach Critical Mass," and "ALS on the Cusp." Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: EarlySense, NeoChord, and Pantec Biosolutions.
A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of START-UP: Windhover’s Review of Emerging Medical Ventures
This month's profile groups:
Glioblastoma Start-Ups Get Specific
[Hy BioPharma Inc.] (Also see "Hy BioPharma Inc." - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) is developing hypericin phototherapeutics for cancers and autoimmune disorders. The Israeli/US start-up is also in Phase I/IIb trials for an oral formulation of hypericin for possible use in combination therapy with Temodar for the treatment of glioblastoma.
MedGenesis Therapeutix Inc. (Also see "MedGenesis Therapeutix Inc." - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) is developing convection-enhanced delivery, a technique that involves infusion under positive pressure of a drug to specific locations of the brain. The leading indication for its CED technology is glioblastoma.
Pharmaxon SA (Also see "Pharmaxon SA" - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) aims to control cell mobility to fight CNS disorders and cancer. For glioblastoma, it has developed a neural cell mobility inhibitor that blocks cell migration in vitro and limits GBM proliferation in animal models.
[SanoGene Therapeutics Inc.] (Also see "SanoGene Therapeutics Inc." - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) thinks it will be able to enhance outcomes for glioblastoma patients by following the unavoidable brain surgery with an injection of targeted plasmids containing short sequences of RNA.
Glaucoma Start-Ups Reach Critical Mass
Ocular Therapeutix Inc. (Also see "I-Therapeutix Inc. " - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) was founded by biomaterials expert Amar Sawhney to develop hydrogel products for a number of ocular applications, one of which is a drug delivery system for the front of the eye.
Sensimed AG’s (Also see "Sensimed AG" - Medtech Insight, 1 Jul, 2008.) device—a noninvasive, removable contact lens—will enable the continuous monitoring of intraocular pressure, a capability that’s not available today.
Transcend Medical Inc.’s (Also see "Transcend Medical Inc. " - Medtech Insight, 1 Jul, 2008.) tiny device makes use of the eye’s alternative drainage mechanism, the suprachoroidal space, to achieve the controlled lowering of intraocular pressure.
ALS on the Cusp
Although only a small percentage of ALS cases seem tied to the mutant form of SOD1, the deep knowledge about it provides Cambria Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Also see "Cambria Pharmaceuticals Inc." - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) with a platform for assaying compounds it intends to develop against ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Knopp Neurosciences Inc. (Also see "Knopp Neurosciences Inc." - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2008.) is developing the right-oriented enantiomer of Parkinson’s and restless leg syndrome drug pramipexole (Mirapex) for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The drug has received orphan designation from the FDA, and is now in Phase IIa studies in 80 ALS patients.
Start-Ups across Health Care
Israeli start-up EarlySense Ltd. (Also see "EarlySense Ltd." - Medtech Insight, 1 Jul, 2008.) is a new entrant in the patient supervision and monitoring market. Its EverOn supervision system allows patients to be easily and continuously supervised without any physical contact or connections.
NeoChord Inc. (Also see "NeoChord Inc." - Medtech Insight, 1 Jul, 2008.) wants to enable less invasive mitral valve repair with the NeoChord DS1000 is a tool for implanting artificial chordae tendineae made of suturing material while the heart is still beating.
Pantec Biosolutions AG [A#2008900161] is developing a laser-based skin poration platform for painless intraepidermal drug delivery, particularly for large or poorly permeating molecules. Its primary focus is the $2 billion in vitro fertilization market.