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FEATURE COMPANY

The Company

Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. (SGT) is a private early-stage company committed to the development and commercialization of safer and more effective healthcare products utilizing proprietary sol-gel technology, which enables room temperature entrapment of organic and bioactive molecules in silica glass beads.
SGT has licensed advanced patented sol-gel technology, invented at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem by SGT’s co-founder, Professor David Avnir, and his colleagues. Until now, organic molecules could not be entrapped in glass, because glass is prepared at elevated temperatures by melting at about 1000ºC. Due to the low temperature needed for the preparation of sol-gel glass, most existing organic and bioactive molecules can be entrapped by SGT in sol-gel glass.
With the increasing public knowledge that ultraviolet (UV) sunlight is the primary cause of skin aging, wrinkles and skin cancer, people use sunscreens more often, in higher concentrations (high SPFs) and in daily wear cosmetic preparations. A direct consequence of the increasing use of sunscreen molecules is that an increased amount of these molecules may penetrate through the epidermis into the body. Moreover, when UV light is absorbed by the sunscreen molecules, photo-degradation products including free radicals may be formed and interact with body tissues.
SGT’s first products are inert glass micro particles that can tightly encase high concentrations of sunscreen molecules within a thin shell of inert sol-gel glass. Several patent applications have been submitted to protect SGT’s unique process and its implementation for sunscreens and other applications. SGT has established a production plant in Bet Shemesh, Israel, and is presently manufacture its first product (called “UV-Pearls”) utilizing its novel glass micro particles.
Following this development and the establishment of a manufacturing plant for UV-Pearls, SGT has engaged in an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement with A major European Chemical supplier, which paves the way for SGT to become the worldwide leading supplier of safe UV-filters.
SGT is now capitalizing on its acquired unique technology and know-how in order to both stabilize other essential active ingredients, and ensure their entrapment with the aim of either preventing any contact of these ingredients with body tissues (e.g., sunscreens with the skin) or with the aim of sustained/targeted release (e.g. Vitamin A). These new products, together with SGT’s safe sunscreens, will position SGT as a leading drug / active ingredients delivery company for cosmetics and dermatological applications.
The potential applications of Sol-Gel technology for encapsulation of other specialty chemicals (catalysts, biocides) open an opportunity for established manufacturer to jointly develop state of the art, innovative new lines of products.
We are looking for partners in the Pharma and Special Chemicals industries in order to jointly develop new products, which will be based on approved active ingredients together with Sol-Gel delivery systems.

The Technology

According to the sol-gel technology invented by Professor David Avnir and colleagues, organic, inorganic and bioorganic molecules are doped (entrapped) in silica glass using a room temperature procedure known as “sol-gel”. Due to the relatively low temperature needed for the preparation of sol-gel matrices, almost all the 18 million existing organic and bioorganic molecules that could not be doped in glass, because glass is prepared at elevated temperatures (about 1000°C), can now be entrapped in sol-gel glass.
It is rare that one group of scientists receives patent protection on an entirely new technology. However, the US and European patent offices recognized that the doped sol gel technology was invented by Professor David Avnir and colleagues. They granted The Hebrew University of Jerusalem a series of patents covering the doped sol-gel materials, generic methods for the preparation of such sol-gel materials, and their use in various applications.
SGT has obtained from the Yissum Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem exclusive worldwide licenses to make commercial use of:
– Products relating to cosmetics, sunscreen, food additives and colorants.
– Products relating to health care and public health including pharmaceutical, medical and environmental uses.
SGT has also developed in-house a unique sol-gel microencapsulation process. Several patent applications have been submitted to protect SGT’s novel process and its implementation for sunscreens and other applications. The US Patent and Trade Office recently notified SGT that its first company-owned patent, covering sunscreen formulations using SGT’s novel encapsulated sunscreen active ingredients, is approvable and will be granted.
Accordingly SGT now controls an arsenal of various platform technologies, based on sol-gel materials, which will enable SGT flexibility in address differing application needs.
SGT can perform matrix entrapment (doping) of organic molecules into a porous silica glass continuous network. This is the original technology licensed from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This technology is particularly useful when a small amount of the entrapped molecules needs to be immobilized and stabilized. This is the case when the product has to be entrapped in order to function as a catalyst or as the detecting entity in an analytical reaction.
SGT can perform microencapsulation. This process has been developed and patented by SGT for sunscreen and other applications. The said approach is desirable when a high load of ingredient (e.g., 85% of the weight of the particles in the case of sunscreen) needs to be incorporated into a preparation. In addition, it affords low leaching and enables the isolation of a component from its surrounding ingredients and the use of incompatible ingredients in the same formulation.
SGT has further developed a microencapsulation process with the aim of targeted/sustained delivery. This is particularly useful in order to stabilize a high load of active ingredients while eventually delivering these ingredients to the skin. Initial work has demonstrated the ability to entrap and stabilize ingredients, while obtaining delivery under defined mechanical or chemical conditions.

The Sol-Gel sphere 85% free Volume

Sol – Gel sphere (D =1 micron)

For further information please contact:
Nir Zalmanov
Marketing & Business Development Manager
Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd.
POB 367, Industrial Zone West,
Bet Shemesh 99100, Israel
Tel: (972) 2 999 7661 / 208
Fax: (972) 2 999 8166
E-mail: nir.zalmanov@sol-gel.com
Web: http://www.sol-gel.com