Z-Cube, the corporate venture arm of Zambon Company SpA, and Yissum Research Development Company Ltd. Sign a Licensing Agreement for the Development of an Innovative Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Systemfor the Treatment of Pain

MILAN, Italy & JERUSALEM, Israel--(Business Wire)--
Z-Cube Srl, the corporate venture arm of Zambon Company SpA, and Yissum Research
Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer company of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, announced today that they have entered into a license
agreement for Z-Cube to develop and commercialize an innovative nanotechnology
drug delivery system for the treatment of pain. The technology was invented by
Professor Elka Touitou from the Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of
Medicine, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Under the terms of the agreement, Z-Cube has received the worldwide exclusive
right to develop and commercialize the technology for pain applications and will
sponsor a research program to be conducted by Prof. Touitou and her group.
Z-Cube has also received the right to grant sublicenses. Yissum will receive
license fees, milestones and royalty payments.

"We are pleased to partner with Z-Cube, a world leader in the commercialization
of drug delivery technologies," said Yaacov Michlin, CEO of Yissum. "Our novel
drug delivery system has the potential to enable relief of both mild and severe
pain quickly and efficiently."

The work of Prof. Touitou, a worldwide authority in the drug delivery field,
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
previously-developed innovative technologies.

"This innovative drug delivery system is a powerful tool enabling the
development of improved medicines for the treatment of pain," said Lorenzo
Pradella, Ph.D., Business and Operational Development Director of Z-Cube.
"Patients suffering from pain will benefit from this new approach that promises
to generate upgraded and easier to use therapeutics."

In 2007, the worldwide market for pain management products (excluding
over-the-counter products) was approximately $ 4.2 billion, representing one of
the largest pharmaceutical segments. The expectation is that the demand for
prescription pain management products will continue to grow due to favorable
demographics, increasing incidence of chronic pain conditions, and heightened
awareness of physicians for the need to treat pain. Improved pain treatment
includes not only the discovery and marketing of new chemical entities, such as
pain killers, but also the development of new delivery systems devoted to
reducing side effects, increasing safety and improving compliance.

About Yissum

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.
was founded in 1964 to protect and commercialize the Hebrew University`s
intellectual property. Products based on Hebrew University technologies that
have been commercialized by Yissum currently generate $1.2 Billion in annual
sales. Ranked among the top technology transfer companies in the world, Yissum
has registered 6100 patents covering 1750 inventions; has licensed out 480
technologies and has spun out 65 companies. Yissum`s business partners span the
globe and include companies such as Novartis, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson,
Merck, Intel, Teva and many more. For further information please visit
www.yissum.co.il.

About Z-Cube

Z-Cube is the corporate venture of Zambon Company S.p.A. focused on Drug
Delivery System (DDS) exploitation. Z-Cube invests in and validates early stage
innovative DDS with the potential to generate new products in selected
therapeutic areas, with the opportunity to generate NewCos. Main sources are
universities with significant research programmes in the area of life science
and drug delivery as well as recently formed companies. Z-Cube combines an
industrial profile with investment capabilities. A well recognized International
Scientific Advisory Board and an established international financial network are
two important assets. Z-Cube is among the investors in three start-up companies
PharmEste Srl (Ferrara, Italy), SuppreMol GmbH (Munich, Germany) and ProtAffin
Biotechnologie AG (Graz, Austria) that recently succeeded in closing second
round of financing. For further information please visit www.z-cube.it.

Yissum Ltd.
Tsipi Haitovsky, +972-52-598-9892
Media Liaison
tsipih@yissum.co.il
or
for Z-Cube:
Lorenzo Pradella
Via Lillo del Duca, 10
20091 Bresso (Milan)
Italy

Copyright Business Wire 2009