New, Non-Invasive Disease Therapy Treatment Wins
Kaye Prize for Researcher at Hebrew University

Jerusalem,  June 21, 2006 – New, non-invasive therapies for treating diseases such as basal cell carcinoma, viral and microbial deep skin infections and erectile dysfunction are being developed by a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem School of Pharmacy. The new approach uses a specially designed topical delivery system, known as Ethosome, for targeting drugs directly to the disease site.

Ethosome was invented by Prof. Elka Touitou of the Department of Pharmaceutics at the Hebrew University School of Pharmacy, who developed the technology together with a group of her students and postdoctoral fellows. The innovative technology has been patented and achieved international recognition. Further recognition for Prof. Touitou occurred when she was presented with one of this year’s Kaye Innovation Awards on June 13 during the 69th meeting of the Hebrew University Board of Governors.   
  
Ethosome provides a dermal delivery system that overcomes the natural skin barrier that has prevented topically (surface) applied anti-cancer drugs from reaching their targets. Drugs encased in  Ethosome, when applied to the skin, are able to penetrate even into the deep skin layers where basal carcinoma cells (BCC) occurs, thereby providing a non-invasive alternative to surgical intervention -- the main current approach for arresting BCC.

Ethosomes are soft, phospholipid nanovesicles (tiny, bubble-like, lipid spheres) which, due to their structure, are able to overcome the natural dermal barrier, delivering drugs through the skin layers. The Ethosome delivery system can be modulated not only for enhanced skin penetration but also for absorption of drugs into the blood circulatory system.

Comparative studies of existing dermal and transdermal drug delivery systems with the Ethosome technology proved a significant superiority for Ethosome over the other technologies in terms of efficiency and lack of irritancy. A number of clinical studies, including a recent one on the use of Ethosomal prostaglandin for treatment of erectile dysfunction, have shown the efficiency of Ethosomal drugs. The delivery system can be used in cosmetic compounds as well. 

NTT (Novel Therapeutic Technologies Inc.), a privately owned joint venture company with Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University, has been established to develop products based on the Ethosome delivery system and already has succeeded in bringing a number of successful products to the market.

The Kaye Innovation Awards have been given annually since 1994. Isaac Kaye of England, a prominent industrialist in the pharmaceutical industry, established the awards to encourage faculty, staff and students of the Hebrew University to develop innovative methods and inventions with good commercial potential which will benefit the university and society.

For further information: Jerry Barach, Dept. of Media Relations, the Hebrew University, Tel: 02-588-2904. Orit Sulitzeanu, Hebrew University spokesperson, Tel: 02-588-2811.