Italy’s Z-Cube seals deal with Yissum Research

Licensing

Z-Cube Srl, the corporate venture arm of the Italian pharmaceutical company, Zambon Company SpA, announced a licensing deal with Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to develop and commercialise a nanotechnology drug delivery system for the treatment of pain. The technology was invented by Elka Touitou from the Department of Pharmaceutics at the university.

Z-Cube has the worldwide exclusive right to develop and commercialise the technology for pain applications and will sponsor a research programme to be conducted by Touitou. Yissum will receive license fees, milestones and royalty payments.

“We are pleased to partner with Z-Cube, a world leader in the commercialisation of drug delivery technologies,” said Yaacov Michlin, CEO of Yissum. Touitou’s work focuses on the design of novel carriers for enhanced drug absorption and efficiency. Two start-up companies have been established and are active in the development of various novel pharmaceutical products that are based on her previous work.

Z-Cube, the corporate venture arm of Zambon, focuses on drug delivery, investing in and validating early stage technology with the potential to generate new products in selected therapeutic areas, with the opportunity to create new companies. The main sources of suitable technologies are universities and recently formed companies.

Z-Cube combines an industrial profile and investment capabilities. To date it has invested in three start-up companies: PharmEste Srl of Ferrara, Italy, SuppreMol GmbH of Munich, Germany and ProtAffin Biotechnologie AG, of Graz, Austria.

www.z-cube.it