AO Pharma – a novel approach to ophthalmic drug delivery AO Pharma is a startup company developing a novel approach  to  ophthalmic drug delivery eliminating the need for preserving agents. Today, commercially available eye drops contain preserving agents that cause damage to the eye surface upon chronic use. Hence, there is an immediate need for development of a novel approach to ophthalmic drug delivery. OcuPharma's first product is a user-friendly device that will enable sterile application of ophthalmic drugs. The worldwide market for ophthalmic  drugs is estimated at $7 Billion annually.

RAD Biomed has joined the steering committee of  CEBR, the council of European bioregions. Dr. Binah Baum, RAD Biomed's director of business development, has been invited to join the steering committee of CEBR, the Council of European Bioregions www.cebr.net. Additionally, RAD Biomed has been appointed as champion of  CEBR's Incubation Special Interest Group (SIG)…This specific workgroup deals with establishment and management of dedicated biotech seed incubators as well as with means of  financing early-stage European biotech companies via the creation of a pan-European seed fund. Dr Binah Baum chaired the first workshop of this SIG in Heraklion in September 2007, and  the followup meeting in  Brussels in November.

Impediguide – enabling  the characterization of different types of tissues. ImpediGuide Ltd. has recently entered Rad BioMed Incubator. Besides Government and complementary financing, the company has received an additional $250K venture funding from private investors. ImpediGuide  is developing an innovative and proprietary device that will enable the characterization of different types of tissues. The first generation product is intended for monitoring the safe, effective and rapid penetration of the needle during the administration of regional anesthesia and analgesia (e.g. epidural).  ImpediGuide is scheduled to initiate clinical studies by mid 2008.

Therazome – enabling the prolonged administration of low-dose corticosteroids for treatment of IBD. Therazome, a new startup company focusing of smart drug delivery is developing a novel approach for treatment of  IBD  via specific and efficient targeting of drugs to inflammatory sites in the colon. IBD is presently treated  by oral administration anti –inflammatory drugs e.g. NSAID's or Corticosteroids . Despite their therapeutic efficacy, high-doses and chronic administration of corticosteroids are counter-indicated due to severe side effects. Therazome intends to encapsulate corticosteroids within negatively-charged liposomes, target them directly to the inflamed colonic mucosa and provide  means for site-specific controlled release - thus enabling prolonged administration of low-dose corticosteroids with minimal side effects. Therazome's  technology is based upon the extensive research of Profs Y. Barenholz and A. Rubinstein from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.