Skin Deep

EarlySense to Partner With Catholic Healthcare West in Evaluating Patient Health With the EverOn Patient Supervision System

2009-03-12T21:51:00.001+02:00

California Hospital Medical Center to Be First CHW Facility to Evaluate EverOn

Monday March 2, 2009, 9:01 am EST

RAMAT GAN, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EarlySense, developer of the EverOn® patient supervision system for hospital and home use, announced today a collaboration with Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), the eighth largest hospital system in the nation and the largest not-for-profit hospital provider in California, to test Everon in the hospital setting.

Select hospitals within the 41-hospital CHW system are slated to evaluate the impact of EverOn both clinically and financially to determine whether and how best to implement the technology. Based on evaluation outcomes, certain CHW facilities may elect to be training centers for the EverOn system.

EverOn is a wireless patient supervision system installed underneath the hospital bed mattress. There are no leads or cuffs to connect to the patient, who has complete freedom of movement and is not burdened by any irritating attachments. The system measures patient vital signs and movements and alerts nurses of any change in condition. EverOn detects heart and respiration rates, bed entries and exits, as well as patient movement and turns. EverOn also helps medical staff to better implement patient turns, which can positively influence the treatment and the prevention of pressure ulcers. EverOn’s trend line display is designed to assist clinicians in monitoring the progression of a patient’s health. At present, the system is for investigational use only.

“We are combining the strengths of a leading hospital system with those of a medical device innovator to facilitate the introduction of EverOn in the U.S. We believe this structure has great value as it will ultimately provide both clinical and financial benefits,” said Dr. Yehuda Zicherman, V.P. of Marketing at EarlySense.

CHW and EarlySense also announced today that California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles will be the first CHW clinical site to trial EverOn. Mark Meyers, president of California Hospital Medical Center, said, “There is a clear, present and immediate need for an innovative, high tech system that can automatically, and without imposing upon patient comfort, track movement and vital signs and warn of possible life threatening situations. We are pleased to be evaluating the EverOn system to determine how it can help us in our ongoing work of delivering excellent, compassionate care.”

“We are delighted and honored to partner with CHW, a well respected and notable hospital network, and its experienced and professional team at California Hospital Medical Center. We hope to together achieve the goal of improving healthcare and securing better outcomes for patients and their caregivers,” said Avner Halperin, CEO of EarlySense.

About Catholic Healthcare West:

Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), headquartered in San Francisco, CA, is a system of 41 hospitals and medical centers in California, Arizona and Nevada. Founded in 1986, it is eighth largest health system in the nation and the largest not-for-profit provider in California. CHW is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. The CHW network of nearly 10,000 physicians and approximately 53,000 employees provides health care services to more than five million people annually. In 2008, CHW provided $967 million in charity care and unsponsored community benefit. For more information, please visit our website at www.chwHEALTH.org.

About California Hospital Medical Center:

Conveniently located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles 2 blocks from the Staples Center, California Hospital Medical Center is a 316-bed acute care hospital known for its wide range of specialties, from Orthopedics and Surgery to Maternity and Neonatal Intensive Care. It is also the area's only Level II Trauma Center. For more information, please visit http://www.chmcla.org/. Press contact: Katreena Salgado, Director, Marketing & Public Affairs, California Hospital Medical Center, katreena.salgado@chw.edu, 213-742-6371 (office) or 213-700-4774.

About EarlySense:

EarlySense is bringing to market a pioneering technology designed to advance proactive and preventive patient supervision to enable better patient outcomes. The company’s flagship product, EverOn, is an automatic, continuous, contact-free patient supervision device that follows and documents a patient’s vital signs and movement. The system is currently being clinically evaluated at several medical centers. EarlySense is headquartered in Ramat-Gan, Israel. For additional information, please visit www.earlysense.com. Press contact: Marjie Hadad, Media Liaison, at marjie.hadad@earlysense.com or at +972-54-536-5220.

2009-01-27T12:23:00.003+02:00

Promius Pharma, LLC Launches Scytera (Coal Tar) Foam 2% for Treatment of Psoriasis
Scytera™ Provides Innovative Topical Coal Tar Foam in a Cosmetically Elegant, Patient-Pleasing Foam Vehicle.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 26, 2009 - Promius Pharma, LLC, has launched Scytera™ (coal tar) Foam 2% for the treatment of chronic psoriasis, a skin disease that affects approximately 7.5 million Americans according to The National Psoriasis Foundation. Scytera Foam delivers coal tar in a cosmetically-elegant, patient-pleasing foam vehicle.

Scytera Foam was launched at the Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference in Hawaii in January 2009. This annual conference provides dermatologists with a comprehensive update on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that they treat on a daily basis. Promius Pharma's mission is to once again elevate coal tar to an important position in psoriasis treatment. Studies have demonstrated that coal tar treatment of psoriasis results in a reduction in the overproduction of skin cells, a reduction of itch and a promotion of healthy skin. Scytera Foam is the first coal tar product in an aerosol foam vehicle to be launched into the psoriasis market.

"Scytera's active ingredient, coal tar, has been used for many years in the treatment of psoriasis," explained Jeffrey Wasserstein, President of Promius. "In the past, coal tar products, despite their established efficacy, have typically had usage limitations because of their unappealing odor, unpleasant texture and potential to stain clothing. We are very excited about Scytera Foam because it takes this proven therapy and marries it with a novel proprietary foam technology to address each of those three issues.” The foam technology is licensed from Foamix Ltd of Israel. “We believe Scytera Foam will be of significant benefit to dermatologists and their patients, enhancing the value and re-establishing the importance of coal tar for psoriasis treatment."

The Benefits of Scytera Foam
Scytera Foam's technology allows the product to be spread easily and smoothly over large body areas. Along with the foam technology, Scytera Foam uses a patented odor neutralizing system to minimize the coal tar odor. "Dermatologists have understood the inherent benefits of coal tar therapy for psoriasis patients for decades, but convincing patients to use it with all of the cosmetic challenges has been difficult and frustrating for physicians," said Mr. Wasserstein.

Making Coal Tar User Friendly
"Dermatologists have long acknowledged that coal tar is an excellent therapy for psoriasis that may be used alone or in combination with other psoriasis treatments under a doctor's supervision," continued Mr. Wasserstein. “Because Scytera Foam delivers coal tar in a cosmetically-appealing foam vehicle, it is our expectation that patients will be more likely to use this product. Our expectation," said Mr. Wasserstein, "is that Scytera Foam's cosmetic properties will help redefine dermatologists' perception of the downsides associated with coal tar therapy.”

Please visit www.scytera.com for more information about Scytera Foam, including usage instructions.

About Promius Pharma
Promius Pharma, LLC, located in Bridgewater, NJ, is a branded specialty company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc. Promius Pharma, with its focus on the branded dermatology market, has a portfolio of in-licensed dermatological products and an internal pipeline of topical products under various stages of development. Promius Pharma aims to be a leading-edge company that develops and markets innovative solutions for challenging dermatological conditions with an eye to the future to redefine therapeutic options for physicians and patients. (www.promiuspharma.com)

About Foamix Ltd.
Headquartered in Ness Ziona, Israel, Foamix Ltd. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of topical foam products for prescription, OTC and cosmetic applications. Foamix's proprietary state-of-the-art foams provide controlled delivery of a variety of active ingredients. Foamix is a privately held company, whose business model is based on partnering with leading pharma companies to develop products utilizing its proprietary foam technologies. (www.foamix.co.il)Contact: Media:LC GroupSuzanne Lane, +1 212-757-6880slane@thelcgroup.com

2008-02-11T14:25:00.000+02:00

Foamix Signs Term Sheet to Acquire License to Organo-Boron Antifungal Molecules - Will Target the $11 Billion Dollars Fungal Infection Market

Released : Thursday, February 07, 2008 8:15 PM

Foamix Ltd. a leading worldwide developer of topical foams for dermatology and gynecology and Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd., have reached an agreement on the commercial terms of a worldwide exclusive license for Organo-Boron Antifungal Molecules which are useful for topical and systemic treatment of fungal disease (see also Marketing and Licensing Agreements).

Under the terms of the agreement, Foamix will have the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Ramot's proprietary Organo-Boron compounds, which were developed by Prof. Amihay Freeman and his research team at Tel Aviv University, and which possess potent fungicidal activity, as demonstrated in laboratory studies. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The total global market for antifungal agents was worth more than $11 billion in 2007 and will reach nearly $14 billion by 2012, a CAGR of 4.5%. The global sales of dermatological antifungal drugs were about $3 billion. Particularly, the Ramot Organo-Boron drugs are expected to be effective for onychomycosis, fungal infection of the fingernails and toenails, with a global market of approximately $1.7 billion in 2005.

"This agreement is further evidence of Foamix's commitment to seek out novel treatments for important dermatological and gynecological conditions, that involve fungal infection," commented Dov Tamarkin, Ph.D., Foamix's CEO. "We believe that Organo-Boron therapy represents a promising pathway for the treatment of fungal disease; and that the Ramot compounds will be a strong addition to our current in-house dermatological and gynecological pipeline."

"We are very proud to partner with an industry leader such as Foamix," said Ms. Irit Ben-Chlouch, Ramot's Director of Business Development, Life Sciences. "Foamix earned its position as a leading drug development company through a series of successful projects with big pharma partners and we are confident that partnering with Foamix offers the best opportunity for our Organo-Boron drugs to reach the market successfully," he noted.

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Ferndale Laboratories, Inc. and Foamix Enter Development of an Innovative Foam for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

2007-11-22T10:25:00.000+02:00

FERNDALE, Michigan and NESS ZIONA, Israel, November 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferndale Laboratories Inc. and Foamix Ltd. announced today that the two companies have agreed to jointly develop non-steroidal foam for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

According to this agreement, Foamix will be responsible for developing the foam formulations and Ferndale will have an option to continue definitive development and worldwide commercialization of the product. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Atopic dermatitis is very common in all parts of the world. It affects about 10% of infants and 3% of the total population in the United States. It can occur at any age but is most common in infants to young adults. The skin rash is very itchy and can be widespread, or limited to a few areas.

The development of the foam product will be directed to fortify the skin barrier by delivering a very high concentration of barrier-enhancing oils in an easy-to-apply formulation. Non-steroidal therapy is important for safe, long-term management of atopic dermatitis and the associated symptoms. Poor adherence to maintenance treatment for atopic dermatitis and parental anxiety about using topical steroids are common features seen among children with atopic dermatitis, and therefore, foams, which do not need extensive rubbing for spreading and absorption, offer an improved treatment modality for this disease.

"We believe that the Foamix foam offers an effective and convenient way to deliver treatment to patients with atopic dermatitis. These are often very young children who would benefit from the ease and comfort of use, combined with the efficacy of treatment," said James T. McMillan II, Chief Executive Officer of Ferndale.

"We are very proud to partner with an industry leader such as Ferndale," said Foamix CEO Dr. Dov Tamarkin. "Foam offers properties that increase usability, encourage compliance and boost user satisfaction. Foamix foams are alcohol-free and they can be designed to provide skin barrier properties, which are crucial for effective atopic dermatitis treatment, while using delicate, FDA approved ingredients, to ensure the safety of the patients," he noted.

About Ferndale

Ferndale is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing, marketing and selling branded prescription pharmaceutical products in the under-served medical specialties of dermatology, colon/rectal surgery and OB-Gyn.

Read more on http://www.ferndalelabs.com.

About Foamix:

Headquartered in Ness Ziona, Israel, Foamix Ltd. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of topical foam products for prescription, OTC and cosmetic applications. Foamix's state-of-the-art foams provide controlled delivery of a variety of active ingredients. Foamix is a privately held company, whose business model is based on partnering with leading pharma companies to develop products utilizing its proprietary foam technologies. We currently collaborate with 8 pharmaceutical companies on 10 projects in the development of proprietary dermatological and gynecologic foam drugs; and we have our own in-house pipeline of dermatological and gynecological drugs in foam presentation.

The company's development capabilities range from initial development of foam formulations to scale-up, GMP manufacturing, preclinical and clinical studies. Foamix holds 3 US patents and has 48 US patents pending, with corresponding national applications worldwide.

For additional information please visit http://www.foamix.co.il/

The blog owner is invested in Foamix and is not verey objective :-)

Foamix Acquires Rights to Dual Chamber Aerosol Foam Technology

2007-11-22T10:20:00.000+02:00

Monday October 29, 8:52 am ET

NESS ZIONA, Israel, October 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Foamix Ltd. (http://www.foamix.co.il), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of topical foam products, announced today that it has licensed the exclusive worldwide rights for a dual chamber aerosol device from Wella AG. With its brands in Hair Care and Cosmetics, Wella is part of The Procter and Gamble Group since 2003.

"Combination pharmaceutical products are becoming a prominent component of topical therapy, as demonstrated by acne medications combining benzoyl peroxide with antibiotics and retinoids, psoriasis drugs combining Vitamin D analogs and steroids and anti-pigmentation drugs that combine steroids, hydroquinone and retinoids; however, due to compatibility constraints, creating a stable combination product with reasonable shelf life is a challenge. This license will enable us to incorporate two or more active agents in the same pharmaceutical product, with no stability concerns," said Foamix CEO Dr. Dov Tamarkin. "We are committed to continuing progress at the forefront of topical therapy, and our ability to develop stable, safe and effective combination drugs will provide added value for Foamix and for our industry partners," he added.

According to the license agreement, Foamix has the exclusive rights to use the dual-chamber device for all topical and intra-vaginal drug products requiring prescription. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The device is protected by US Patent No. 6,305,578, EP 1075325 and JP 2000-600768; and Foamix has its own patent applications, covering a broad spectrum of foam vehicles and drugs that can be incorporated in this device.

About Foamix

Headquartered in Ness Ziona, Israel, Foamix Ltd. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of topical foam products for prescription, OTC and cosmetic applications. Foamix's state-of-the-art foams provide controlled delivery of a variety of active ingredients. Foamix is a privately held company, whose business model is based on partnering with leading pharma companies to develop products utilizing its proprietary foam technologies. We currently collaborate with 8 pharmaceutical companies on 10 projects in the development of proprietary dermatological and gynaecologic foam drugs; and we have our own in-house pipeline of dermatological and gynecological drugs in foam presentation.

The company's development capabilities range from initial development of foam formulations to scale-up, GMP manufacturing, preclinical and clinical studies. Foamix holds 3 US patents and has 48 US patents pending, with corresponding national applications.

The blog owner is invested in Foamix and is not verey objective :-)

Best foam forward

2007-07-26T10:17:00.000+03:00

By Anna Lewcock http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/

16/07/2007 - An Israeli drug delivery firm is developing a new vaginal drug delivery system, making use of bio-adhesive foams to offer a more convenient and effective treatment option for women with gynaecological complaints.

Foamix,, a company specialising in foam formulations for a variety of applications, showed off its latest research into the vaginal foam product at last week's Controlled Release Society meeting in California, profiling its advantages over current products and presenting promising study results.

The foam products are set to challenge the traditional vaginal treatments, currently limited to ointments, pessaries, creams or gel-type formulations, which can be inconvenient and messy for the patient as well as tricky to administer and likely to leak.

The foam products, according to the company, solve all these problems in one go.

"Vaginal delivery is a neglected market," Doron Friedman, Foamix' chief technology officer told in-PharmaTechnologist.com at the CRS meeting.

"Women have a lot of trouble with current vaginal delivery systems - foam is simple."

The vaginal foam the company has developed is composed of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ingredients, is easy to apply with a simple disposable applicator, and spreads evenly over the vaginal cavity surface.

The foam is also bio-adhesive, of key importance in vaginal preparations as it affects the adhesion of the formulation to the mucosal surface and consequently the presence of the active drug at the target treatment site.

The company presented a poster showing the in vitro and in vivo adhesion profile of its vaginal foam at the annual meeting last week, with results showing that various formulation of the foam exhibit adhesive force in the same range as Dalacin (clindamycin), Pharmacia's antibiotic vaginal cream.

In in vivo studies with female sheep, the company found that the foam expanded effectively to cover the vaginal cavity and cervix area, which remained covered after 15 minutes. There were no signs of overflow, dripping or irritation after administration.

Foamix also studied the foam's lubrication profile, comparing it to the "gold standard" in vaginal lubrication - KY Gel. The company's research found that the foam's viscosity and lubricating properties were indeed comparable to the marketed KY product.

The foam itself can be formulated with a variety of drug compounds, and according to Friedman the company can reformulate almost any type of semi-solid to be compatible with the foam delivery system.

Due to the fact that initial products are also likely to be simple reformulations of existing treatments, the regulatory pathway will be relatively short, allowing for quicker time to market.

Friedman anticipates entering clinical studies with specific drugs next year, having only earlier this year inked a deal with women's healthcare and dermatology specialist Warner Chilcott to collaborate on the development of a therapeutic gynaecologic foam.

Aside from its gynaecological focus, Foamix also works on topical foam products for the delivery of active ingredients in the areas of dermatology, wound care and burn care. The company currently partners with eight pharmaceutical companies on ten products making use of the proprietary foam drug delivery system, as well as developing its own in-house pipeline of foam-based treatments.

The blog owner is invested in Foamix and is not verey objective :-)

Foamix Signs R&D Collaboration and License Agreement with Dr. Reddy’s for the Development and Commercialization of Psoriasis Foam

2007-02-17T00:20:00.000+02:00

Ness Ziona, Israel, January 24, 2007 /PRNewswire/
Foamix Ltd., the leader in the development of topical foam delivery systems, announced today that they have executed a worldwide license agreement with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (NYSE:RDY), for the development of a novel prescription emollient foam for the treatment of psoriasis.

Under the terms of the agreement, Foamix will receive certain development fees and milestone payments. Upon commercialization of the product, Foamix will receive royalty based on net sales. “Foamix has a proven track record for developing innovative dermatological specialty foam products. We are happy to partner with them in developing a novel topical foam product to address the unmet needs of psoriasis patients," said Jeffrey Wasserstein, Executive Vice President, of Dr. Reddy's.
"We are proud to partner with Dr. Reddy's who is building a specialty pharmaceutical presence in branded dermatology by developing innovative topical products, both internally and through third party in-licensing, that will be detailed directly to dermatologists" said Foamix CEO, Dr. Dov Tamarkin.

Foamix licenses dermatological product to German co

2007-01-21T01:52:00.000+02:00

Potential revenue from the license could total tens of millions of dollar.
Gali Weinreb 14 Jan 07 19:40
Foamix Ltd. has signed a worldwide licensing agreement with dermatology products company Intendis GmbH, a fully owned subsidiary of Bayer Schering Pharma AG, for Foamix’s dermatology foam. The company declined to name the product.
Foamix told “Globes” that the target market was over $1 billion, and potential revenue from the license could total tens of millions of dollars, including the initial payment, payments upon reaching certain milestones, and royalties in the event of success. The product is based on an alcohol-free foam developed by the company.

Foamix was founded with a $5 million investment, and is owned by the company’s entrepreneurs and private investors. The company expects to become profitable this year, and is considering a public offering.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 11, 2007

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006

Maayan Ventures medical device co Applisonix set for IPO

2007-01-21T00:14:00.000+02:00

The company plans to raise NIS 33-35 million in shares and convertible bonds.
Gali Weinreb 18 Jan 07 13:11
Maayan Ventures Ltd. (TASE:MAYN) medical devices subsidiary Applisonix Ltd. has filed a prospectus to raise NIS 33-35 million in shares and convertible bonds in an IPO on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE). Maayan Ventures owns 27.2% of the company.
AppliSonix has already obtained commitments from investment institutions for 80% of the offering. The public tender will be held on January 25. The underwriters are Altshuler Shacham Management Underwriters & Investments Ltd., Excellence Nessuah Underwriting (1993) Ltd., and Leader Underwriters (1993) Ltd.

AppliSonix is developing an ultrasonic depilatory device that delivers ultrasonic waves to the hair root, damaging it ability to function for an extended period. The product will first be developed for use by doctors and cosmeticians, but the company hopes to develop a product for use at home. The company said that its product is more effective and safer than laser or visible wavelength-based depilatory devices, and that it can be used by both blondes and brunettes.

AppliSonix can force the conversion of its convertible bonds if it meets the determining event of a Phase I clinical trial on at least 20 patients by an expert plastic surgeon who testifies that the device is at least as safe and effective as competing devices. This doctor may not have any business or family connection to the company, but he may be paid for the tests and opinion. The company believes that this determining event will be made during the second quarter of 2008.

AppliSonix has already developed a prototype, and it is due to undergo abbreviated US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marketing approval procedure (510k). If all goes according to plan, the product’s market launch will be in 2009.

AppliSonix has raised $4.5 million to date from Maayan Ventures, Israel Infinity Venture Capital, Athena Cyprus, Cyventure Capital, Magari Ltd. and the Office of the Chief Scientist. The company lost NIS 3.8 million in January-September 2006, mainly because of R&D costs.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 18, 2007

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007

I have a personal interests in both Maayan and Applisonix

Foamix collaborates with Warner Chilcott on acne treatment

2007-01-10T12:48:00.000+02:00

Foamix collaborates with Warner Chilcott on acne treatment

Foamix will receive an initial payment of several hundred thousand dollars, and subsequent payments based on milestones, and royalties.

Gali Weinreb 8 Jan 07 16:01

Foamix Ltd. and Warner Chilcott Company Inc. (Nasdaq:CRWX) have signed an agreement to jointly develop an antibiotic foam for the treatment of acne. The product will be based on an oral antibiotic treatment for which no company has yet been able to create effectively in an ointment or local form.

Foamix told “Globes” today that it has already developed a preliminary foam version for spreading, and it believes that it will succeed where other companies have failed.

Warner Chilcott will initially pay Foamix several hundred thousand dollars to finance product development. Warner Chilcott will be responsible for obtaining product approval, licensing and marketing. If the product succeeds, the joint development agreement will become a licensing agreement, and Foamix will receive payments on the basis of milestones, as well as royalties. Foamix says its product will come on the market in 2010 or 2011.

The US acne treatment market alone amounts to $1 billion a year.

Foamix CEO Dr. Dov Tamarkin said, “We are very proud to partner with an industry leader such as Warner Chilcott. Foam offers properties that increase usability, encourage compliance and boost user satisfaction. Foamix foams are alcohol-free and able to effectively deliver a broad range of actives.”

Foamix is developing a range of foam-based treatments. The company has joint development agreements with ten dermatology development companies, although none of the agreements is for an acne treatment. The company’s partners include LEO Pharma A/S of Denmark, Stiefel Laboratories Inc. of the US, and Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TAROF.PK) and Trima Israel Pharmaceutical Products Maabarot Ltd.of Israel.

Foamix expects to become profitable soon on the basis of milestone payments from its partners, even though no product is yet on the market. Foamix’s first product, BabyFoamix, due on the market in a few months, will be a foam treatment for diaper rash jointly developed with Trima. Foamix has said that it plans to go public on Nasdaq.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 8, 2007

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006

Perrigo new Psoriasis treatment

2006-09-03T20:58:00.000+03:00

FDA tentatively approves Perrigo psoriasis treatment
Sales of the ethical version of the treatment, Olux, totaled $78 million in the twelve months ending July.
Eitan Tapiro 3 Sep 06 10:53
Perrigo Co. (Agis Industries) (Nasdaq:PRGO; TASE:PRGO) announced on Friday that it had been granted tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for Clobetasol Propionate Topical Foam, 0.05%., for the treatment of scalp dermatoses. The ethical version of the drug, Olux is marketed by Connectics Corporation (Nasdaq: CNCT) and had sales totaling $78 million in the twelve months ending July.
If successful in the legal action, and upon final approval, Perrigo expects to be granted 180 days of generic marketing exclusivity. On October 19, 2005, Connetics filed suit in the US District Court of New Jersey to prevent Perrigo from proceeding with the commercialization of its product. Litigation is currently ongoing.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on September 3, 2006

Foamix lice treatment demonstrates 96% efficacy in Phase II/III study

2006-08-20T15:55:00.000+03:00

Foamix lice treatment demonstrates 96% efficacy in Phase II/III study
The medical start-up anticipates launching PerFoam on the Israeli market in 2006
by Globes correspondent 19/07/2005

Medical start-up Foamix Ltd. has announced the results of its Phase II/III study of one of its lead products, PerFoam, for the treatment of lice. Trial data shows evidence of safety and a 96% efficacy rate. Foamix anticipates launching PerFoam in the Israeli market in 2006, and in the global market in 2006/7. PerFoam, comprised of 1% permethrin and two proprietary enhancers, is an alcohol-free, non-irritating, drip-free foam for the treatment of head lice. Permethrin is the recommended active ingredient for the treatment of lice by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, data show that lice have developed resistance to permethrin in shampoo, lotion and cream rinse formulations. There is also evidence of scalp and eye irritation resulting from the application of the currently available products.

The study, titled, "An open study to assess the efficacy, safety and usability of a 1% Permethrin Foam, in the treatment of head lice (pediculosis capitis) in pediatric patients," was conducted at the Laniado Medical Center, Netanya. Dr. Avner Shemer, senior dermatologist was the principal investigator of the study. Fifty-six children, ages 3-16, infested with head lice, were treated with PerFoam. PerFoam was applied to the hair for 10 minutes and then washed. Treatment was repeated 10 days later. According to the study, "PerFoam proved effective in killing the lice on the first application in 54 of the 56 children (96.4%). Furthermore, in 60% of the children, lice eggs were completely eradicated after the first application. The product was easily applied and caused no discomfort to the treated children. There was no evidence of eye or skin irritation.”
“The efficacy of PerFoam is remarkably high, despite the commonly known resistance of lice to current treatments in this region,” said Professor Arie Hadani, the entomologist of the study.

Lice are parasitic insects generally found on human heads. Preschool and elementary-age children, 3-10 years of age, and their families are infested most often from this easily spread condition. Hundreds of millions of cases of louse infestation are reported annually worldwide, with a clear increase over the past few decades.

The local market in Israel for anti-lice treatment products value is NIS 10 million a year. The over-the-counter (OTC) anti-lice products generates approximately NIS 7 million out of the total market. It has been estimated that 10-12 million Americans are infested yearly with lice. Elementary school-age children account for a quarter of this number. The current US market for head-lice treatment products is estimated at $120 million.

Foamix is a pre-IPO, privately held company, currently engaged in a $5 million financing round. Headquartered in Ness Ziona, the company develops alcohol-free, non-inflammable, stable foam products for prescription, OTC and cosmetic uses. Applications include dermatology, gynecology, cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, wound healing and burn care. The company was founded in January 2003 by CEO Dr. Dov Tamarkin, COO Meir Eini and chief technology officer Dr. Doron Friedman. The Company employs 22 people and has 22 patents pending. Foamix recently received three US patent approvals for its OilGel topical delivery platform. Foamix will be exhibiting at booth 1713 at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting in Chicago from July 20 - 24th at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

*the author of this blog is invested in Foamix :-)

Infinity Venture Capital Leads US $4.5 Million Round in AppliSonix

2006-08-13T15:27:00.000+03:00

TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2006--Infinity Venture Capital announced today it is leading a US $4.5 million investment round in Applisonix, a medical aesthetics device company focused on developing and marketing a breakthrough hair removal solution utilizing ultrasound (HIFU) technology. Other investors include Infinity's technology incubator Maayan Ventures, Magari Limited, Cyventure Capital and Athena Cyprus, which is part of the Cyprus Funds and Kanit Group. Applisonix had a valuation of slightly more than US $6.5 million before this investment.

The financing announced today is earmarked to support the continuation of product development and the commencement of clinical trials. The hair removal market is estimated at $10 billion and continues to grow.

Applisonix's technology is likely to positively impact the lives of millions of men and women worldwide. Applisonix's technology offers an easy and painless means to get rid of unwanted hair for a long period. It doesn't burn the skin and works with all hair and skin pigment types. Alternatives such as shaving, waxing, chemical melting, plucking, electrolysis, lasers and intense pulse light treatments are soon likely to be bad dreams of the past," said Amir Gal-Or, Managing Partner, Infinity Venture Capital and Co founder of Partners500.

Painless hair removal - that will be the day

2006-08-13T13:08:00.000+03:00

Do you believe that one day we will have real Painless Permanent hair removal applications that will not expose our body to painful treatments or hazardous exposure to radiation? well that will be the day, and that day is not far away.

One of the companies that i am working with is called AppliSonix. They are developing an affordable next-generation personal devices that utilize an innovative ultrasonic technology to remove hair surfaces with a long lasting and painless effect. So yes that will be the day :-)

The following web posting was translated for your amusement

Q: "Hi .. I wanted to inquire on how men can remove hair from their back in the comfort of their home (ALONE)!!! and what Wax brand do you recommend or any other application.
A: "1. worm up the Wax brand of choice ... 2. spread a generous layer of wax on the wall at the relevant height ... 3. Stand with your back facing the wall and lean back .. 4. wait three minutes . 5 and run (ouch@#$$#) ... after a few sessions one can peal the carpet off the wall. "